Life-limiting illness is a profound challenge. Perhaps
you or someone you love is dealing with the last stages of an
illness that cannot be cured. Few of us are ready for the hard
choices that may need to be made at the end of life. It can be
difficult for everyone involved — the person who is ill,
family and loved ones, as well as the health care providers.
But there are ways to ease pain and make life better
for people who are dying, their loved ones, and their caregivers.
It is called Palliative Care.
Palliative Care involves caring for the whole person
— body, mind, heart, and soul. Dying is recognized as natural
and personal. The goal of Palliative Care is to help people live
well for the remainder of their lives.
Palliative Care assists health care providers in
treating pain and other symptoms in the last stages of life. It
also facilitates difficult conversations between family members
and health care providers. These conversations often revolve around
the burdens and benefits of ongoing treatment versus comfort care,
the patient's values and preferences, as well as goal setting.
Palliative Care assists in creating an environment
of comfort, tranquility, dignity, and healthy grieving based on
patient and family wishes. Our goal is to foster compassion and
caring, relieve suffering, and address the psychological, social,
emotional, and spiritual needs of you and your family.
We recognize that this can be a difficult and stressful
time, and that each person's needs are unique. Our hope is that
we may ease your burden and provide meaningful assistance.
When to Consider Palliative Care
Palliative Care is available for anyone with a life-limiting
illness, especially in the last year of life. We work with those
who are still seeking aggressive treatment, as well as those who
have decided on comfort care only.
Referrals can come from any source — physicians,
health care providers, family, friends, and even patients themselves.
A Palliative Care consultation might be beneficial
if any of the following statements are true:
Your therapy is ineffective in managing your symptoms.
You have experienced a rapid decline in health.
It seems the burdens of treatment exceed the benefits in your
current case plan.
It seems the care being given is futile.
You have experienced more than four consultations with other
providers.
It seems your consultants are not talking to each other.
You have contemplated suicide.
You are experiencing spiritual distress related to unresolved
issues or problems.
You wonder, "Why we are doing this?"
You wake up in the middle of the night worried about your
situation.
Your care is inconsistent with your wishes.
You have been readmitted into the hospital for symptom management
within a short period of time.
You are submitting to invasive treatments to satisfy your
family.
If these statements describe you, or raise more
concerns and questions, maybe we can help. For more information
or a Palliative Care referral, please call (231) 935-6520
or 1-800-252-2065.
If you are a Munson Healthcare patient and have a compliment,
concern, or complaint, please contact one of our Patient
Liaisons.
Easing
Symptoms — Improving Quality of Life