Providence Palliative Care Providing Comfort
Providence Life Services has spent over 50 years walking with older adults through retirement. During this time, we continued adding programs and services that provide higher levels of care as residents’ health needs increased.
The Board and leadership of Providence identified a further need to continue serving older adults, especially those with difficult health issues, as they approached the end of life. That is why, in 2002, Providence Hospice began offering services, now available in Illinois and Indiana. What made us special then, and what continues to set us apart now from other hospice programs, is the genuine compassion and spiritual comfort that has always been offered alongside the physical assistance.
For over 20 years, we have made great strides in finding innovative ways to provide the best care possible. One aspect of the care we offer is our Palliative Care program. Palliative care is a medical specialty centered around people with advanced complex illness. It focuses on providing patients and families with symptomatic relief and stress reduction when they face an illness – whatever the diagnosis or stage of disease. The goal is improved quality of life for patients and families.
Palliative care is provided by an interdisciplinary team: specialty-trained physicians, nurses and other professionals who work together with a patient’s existing doctors to provide an extra layer of support for the ongoing care plan. Unlike hospice care, palliative care is provided along with restorative or curative treatments. Palliative care is not dependent upon prognosis. This treatment is appropriate for anyone with a serious illness, regardless of life expectancy.
Perhaps you know someone dealing with chronic pain who may be a good candidate for palliative care. Ask yourself if that person needs help with:
- Advanced disease/organ failure/cancer
- Symptoms from a treatment regimen
- Complex medical decision-making
- Aligning treatment goals with life stage and/or clinical scenario
- Minimal clinical improvement despite a high-quality, restorative care
If you know someone you feel would benefit from palliative care, speak with that person’s doctor and ask them to determine if that person would benefit from palliative care.
In the meantime, Providence Life Services is always here to help if you have any questions about services or care. Feel free to message us at [email protected].
