What does the term ‘palliative care’ mean to you?

For many, it’s connected to concepts of death and dying, and for some, it relates to ideas of comfort and support.

For others, it is a frightening signal that their last days are approaching.

Talking about death can be quite uncomfortable - in fact, most of us would rather not talk about it at all.

But palliative care isn't only about the very end of life.

Jon San Martin, a Clinical Nurse Consultant with HammondCare, points out that while end-of-life care is an important component, palliative care is not only about care for the last days of life.

“A person can receive palliative care for years if needed.”

“Receiving palliative care doesn’t necessarily mean that the person is likely to die soon, or is in their last days,” said Jon.

“A person can receive palliative care for years if needed.”

The World Health Organisation defines palliative care as an approach that:

• improves the quality of life of patients (adults and children) and their families who are facing problems associated with life-limiting illness.
• prevents and relieves suffering through the early identification, correct assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, whether physical, psychosocial or spiritual.

Palliative care takes a holistic approach, meaning it treats the whole person, and
encompasses their physical, psychological, social, spiritual and practical needs.

It runs the gamut from pain management and physiotherapy to spiritual counselling and mental health support.

It can be incorporated into active treatment for a life-limiting disease, regardless of the prognosis, with different aspects playing their part as necessary as time passes.

Good palliative care should:

• Maximise quality of life
• Respect the person's goals and preferences
• Provide relief from pain and other symptoms
• Provide spiritual and psychosocial support
• Allow opportunities for the person and/or their representative to discuss care and care goals
• Be timely and responsive
• Advise what equipment is needed to aid care in the home
• Help with connections to other support services, such as home help and financial support
• Involve a team of specialists
• Support family and friends
• Provide counselling and grief support

According to HammondCare’s Residential Clinical Governance Advisor, Alex Blanch, palliative care is often brought into the conversation too far down the track.

“Ideally, people should be referred to palliative care as early as possible in the context of a life-limiting illness,” he said.

“That being said, if the person is somewhere like HammondCare’s residential homes, there are many instances where we can provide very good person-centred and holistic care without the need of specialist palliative care services.

“But it’s good to collaborate with those services when symptom management is complicated.”

Learn more

Two key resources are available from HammondCare for those looking to learn more about palliative care.

The Palliative Care Handbook offers a thorough understanding of symptoms and treatments which emphasise the importance of a holistic approach to managing patients’ physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs.

The Palliative Care - End of Life FlipChart provides clear guidance for end-of-life symptom management, and is a go-to guide for staff in many facilities.

For other helpful ideas, check out these HammondCare links:

Resources

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