Who Can Benefit?
Anyone with chronic progressive illness, regardless of cause. Serious illness may include:
- Cancer
- Advanced heart or lung disease
- Kidney or liver disease
- Dementia
Palliative care can be provided at any stage of illness and along with disease focused treatments.
The goal of Palliative care is to maximize quality of life and focuses on preventing, treating, reducing or removing discomfort whenever and however it appears through careful attention to pain and symptom management. Palliative care respectfully addresses wellbeing and treats physical, emotional, social spiritual and financial needs.
Pain Management
There are various types of pain with different causes and treatments. Comprehensive assessment is essential. Palliative care uses various pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches to pain management with ongoing assessment and evaluation.
Symptom control
Quality of life can be severely affected by uncontrolled symptoms. The management of pain and other symptoms is paramount for physical and emotional wellbeing.
Palliative care can help you with symptoms such as:
- Nausea
- Breathlessness
- Anxiety/depression
- Cough/hiccups
- Wound care
- Malignant bowel obstruction
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Itching
Emotional Support
Our Palliative Care Clinical Social Workers are available to provide support and guidance to patients and their family members to help relieve the stress that can come with a serious illness diagnosis. Working together with your treatment team, our social workers can support and guide you through advance care planning and can link you to community based support resources that fit your needs.
Spiritual Support
Our Palliative Care program works closely with the Hoag Spiritual Care Department to care for the spiritual needs of patients and their families during their serious illness journey.