Therapeutic & Diagnostic Oncology Interventions

Palliative therapy is a holistic therapy provided to patients suffering from advanced illnesses. Palliative therapy aims to manage pain and other symptoms of the disease and to offer psychological, social, and emotional support to the patients. The therapy helps to improve the quality of life of the patient as well as his family. This form of therapy is given along with other medical treatments received by the patient.

CARE Hospitals has a team of doctors, health workers, nurses, and specially trained people that provide palliative therapy to the patients who need it. And will work with you and your family to give extra support that adds to your ongoing treatment.

Palliative therapy can be recommended for people of any age suffering from a life-threatening problem. It can be a useful therapy for children and adults suffering from different diseases such as heart problems, cancer, dementia, liver problems, lung problems, kidney diseases, Parkinson’s disease, cystic fibrosis, and stroke.

Members of the palliative care team

The palliative care team includes your regular doctors and other members. The other members of the palliative care team include the following:

A social worker: A social worker will help you with the daily living activities and challenges associated with adjusting to your diagnosis of a fatal illness and medicines that you have to take.
A counselor: A counselor helps to give emotional support to you and your family while dealing with an incurable illness.
A psychologist: A psychologist teaches you the techniques to deal with the stress and anxiety that is associated with the trauma of knowing that you are suffering from a terminal illness.
A Chaplain or a spiritual advisor: This team member will clear your doubts, fears, and questions related to life and your disease. They do not involve in religious talks but provide you with other help such as teaching you doing meditation and how meditation can help to relieve your stress and anxiety.

Other members of the team include a nutritionist, a physical therapist, and other professionals to manage your symptoms.

Preparation

You have to schedule an appointment with a doctor. When you first visit the doctor, you have to Prepare a list of symptoms experienced by you and what factors improve your symptoms, and what conditions make them worse.

You have to tell if the symptoms affect your daily living activities
You have to bring a list of all medicines taken by you
Come with a family member or a friend when you have an appointment with the doctor

During the first visit or consultation with a doctor

When you visit for a consultation, the palliative care team will ask you about your symptoms, present medications, and how your illness is affecting you and your family. The palliative care team at the CARE Hospitals will make a comprehensive plan to give relief from suffering and improve your quality of life. The plan will be made with your primary doctor so that it goes well with your other treatments.

After the consultation with a doctor

The team will make a plan that suits your individual needs. It may include the following things:

Management of symptoms: Palliative therapy will include steps to manage your disease symptoms and improve your well-being. If you have any questions, the team can answer your questions.
Complete support and advice: Palliative therapy also includes providing complete support to the patient in dealing with difficult situations and to make decisions if you are facing a serious illness.

The benefits of palliative care

Patients who receive palliative care get many benefits. The main benefits of palliative care are given here:

Helps to improve quality of life: The main aim of palliative care is to improve the quality of life of the patient. The team helps people suffering from stress and serious health problems. They not only give relief from symptoms but also help to improve the mental state of the patients.
Gives relief from the symptoms: Palliative therapy also helps to give relief from all the symptoms such as pain, constipation, difficulty in breathing, fatigue, loss of appetite, sleep problems, stress, and anxiety. The team helps patients to gain strength and understand the prognosis of their illness.
Helps to match your treatment options with your goals: The palliative care team also talks to you and helps you match your treatment options with your goals. All team members make sure that they choose the best options that they want. They make a customized treatment plan that suits your needs and will further help to ease your suffering.

Palliative therapy is specialized medical care provided to patients suffering from a serious disease or illness. The main focus of this therapy is to give relief from the symptoms and improve the quality of life of the patient and family. Palliative therapy is provided by a team of doctors, nurses, and other specialists who discuss and work as a team to meet the individual needs of the patient and provide extra support. It may be given to people of all ages and it may be given along with the other treatments taken by the patient.