Palliative care offers several benefits to patients who have been diagnosed with a chronic medical condition. Even though palliative care brings patients comfort and a higher quality of life, the families we serve usually have questions about the services and at Ardent Hospice & Palliative Care, we take the time to answer those questions. Here are seven of the most frequently asked questions surrounding palliative care services.
1. What is palliative care?
Palliative care is based around a comfort approach to care. It begins with the patient’s diagnosis of a chronic or terminal condition that may not have a cure and will require special care measures in order for the patient to continue living in comfort. While receiving palliative care service, patients are still able to seek treatments and curative options to manage, remedy, or control their condition. Often (but not always), palliative care is a transition into hospice care.
2. What’s the difference between hospice and palliative care?
The difference between hospice and palliative care is based upon the patient’s prognosis. In order to receive hospice care, the patient must have a prognosis of six months or less to live; if it’s longer than that, the patient is eligible for palliative care services. While receiving palliative care, patients can still seek curative measures (this is not allowed while on hospice care).
3. What do palliative care services entail?
Palliative care provides an entire health care team to help treat and manage a patient’s pain and symptoms. That includes a nurse who monitors the condition and coordinates care with a patient’s primary physician and care team. The care provides an extra set of eyes and additional, at-home evaluations to monitor the patient’s health and symptoms. Palliative care patients and their families also have 24/7 access to a nurse so they can have peace of mind and have any immediate questions or concerns about a patients immediate condition addressed at any time. For example, if a patient begins experiencing a shortness of breath, their caregiver can call our office and one of our nurses will triage for them or send immediate help.
4. What experience and qualifications do your nurses have?
Palliative care involves a high skill in nursing and comfort care. Our nurses who visit patients are actually hospice nurses, so they have more in-depth training, experience, and competence. They’re able to look for signs of discomfort and can determine if the patient is declining, progressing, or needs additional care.
5. Will the same nurse be caring for me / my loved one at each visit?
Once we connect a family with a nurse, that same nurse visits them regularly throughout their service. The consistency allows our nurses and families to really get to know each other and build a trusting relationship. The nurse will schedule weekly visits with the patient based on their schedule and what works best for them. When the nurse visits, not only do they continue to monitor the patient’s health, but they also take the time to educate them on their ailment and what the transition into hospice would mean. And if that transition happens, the same nurse will follow them into hospice care.
6. How much will I be charged for palliative care service?
Palliative care is sometimes covered by insurance. When it’s not, we have programs, like the No One Should Die Alone Foundation, to help mitigate or cover the costs. Because we feel a patient’s comfort is so important, the care we offer is never a financial burden to the family.
7. What happens if I / my loved one needs a higher level of care?
Sometimes, families want a higher level of care or service for their loved one. But more specialized, detailed care is relegated to hospice services. Our palliative patients still receive access to our entire staff (including a spiritual chaplain, social worker, and nurses) and can contact a nurse 24/7. This is usually enough to ease a family’s mind and help them feel confident that their loved one is cared for.
Our palliative program comes from the mindset of wanting to be there for our patients who are in an in-between phase with their health and diagnosis. If you want more information on the extra support palliative care can provide your loved one with, contact Ardent Hospice & Palliative Care today by calling (858) 952-1786 or visiting us online.
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