Palliative care is specialized medical care for people with serious illnesses. Palliative care specialists focus on improving the quality of life and alleviating suffering for patients and their families by expertly treating pain and other distressing symptoms. They also listen to patients and align treatment with their needs. The palliative care team weighs the benefits of various therapies and helps decide if they are right for an individual. Palliative care can be provided at the same time as curative treatments.
How does palliative care differ from hospice?
Hospice focuses on comfort and quality during the last months of life. It is for people with serious illnesses who are no longer getting treatment to control their condition. Palliative care is appropriate at any stage of a serious illness, even when a full cure is expected.
Why is palliative care important?
Being diagnosed with a serious illness can be overwhelming for both patients and families. Palliative care specialists listen to patients and help them determine what matters most. They specialize in treating physical symptoms, such as pain, fatigue, or shortness of breath, as well as spiritual and emotional well-being, which can make coping with illness easier.
Who should have palliative care?
Anyone diagnosed with a serious illness should receive palliative care, which should ideally be introduced early in the treatment. The palliative care team provides an extra layer of support in addition to other doctors. Palliative care specialists can help with cancer, heart failure, COPD, dementia, and ALS.
Summit Health Oregon and Partners In Care
Partners In Care will be in our Main Eastside Clinic on Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.
Dr. Jennifer Blechman will oversee this practice and work directly with our oncologists on treatment plans. Dr. Blechman is a Hospice and Palliative Care physician working at Partners in Care, Central Oregon’s only independent, non-hospital-based hospice and home health organization.