Transcript PalliativePatientPowerpointx

PALLIATIVE CARE
WORKING AS A TEAM TO IMPROVE YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE
May 2013
Outline
• What it is palliative care?
• How can it help you?
• Who is on the team?
• How does it work?
• Where do you receive it?
• When can you receive it?
• How much does it cost?
• Helpful information
• Questions
What is palliative care?
• Palliative (pronounced pay-lee-a-tive or pal-ee-a-tive)
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means relieving and lessening
Specialized care
Helps relieve and lessen the symptoms, pain, and stress
resulting from a serious illness or disease
Helps improve quality of life
Different than hospice. It is not just end-of-life care
Meets physical, emotional, and spiritual needs
Serious illness examples
• Palliative care can help with serious illness or disease.
• Here are some examples:
• Cancer
• Dementia
• Heart disease
• HIV/AIDS
• Kidney failure
• Liver disease
• Lung disease
• Multiple sclerosis, and
• Parkinson’s disease
Who is on the team?
• The team can include:
• Doctors
• Nurses
• Social workers
• Pharmacists
• Nutritionists
• Spiritual advisors, and
• Mental health specialists
The team is based on each patient’s individual needs and goals.
How can it help you?
• Extra layer of support in addition to your normal
healthcare provider.
• Helps with:
• Care coordination
• Guidance with medical decisions
• Communication
• Emotional and spiritual support
• Relief from pain and symptoms
How does it work?
• Ask your healthcare provider for a referral.
• Explore hospitals in your area with palliative care teams.
• After receiving a referral, you may meet with a palliative
care team or doctor to learn your needs and preferences.
• You can meet one-on-one or in a group.
Where do you receive palliative care?
• You can receive palliative care in any of these places:
• Hospital
• Outpatient clinic
• Nursing home
• Assisted living facility
• Your home
When can you receive it?
• At any age, or any stage, of a serious illness or disease
• Illness diagnosis
• Never too late to start
• Your illness or disease does not have to be terminal
How much does it cost?
• Generally covered by health insurance, including
Medicare and Medicaid.
• Depends on type of services you’re getting
• Financial assistance is often available if you don’t have
health insurance
• You can:
• Contact your insurance company to see if they cover palliative care
• Talk with a social worker or your hospital’s financial counselor if you
don’t have insurance
Helpful information
• Cancer Care: www.cancercare.org/patients_and_survivors
• Caring Connections: www.caringinfo.org
• Compassion and Choices of Washington: www.compassionwa.org
• International Association for Hospice & Palliative Care —
• Resources for Patients and Relatives: www.iasp-pain.org
• National Cancer Institute — Palliative Care in Cancer:
• www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Support/palliative-care
• Palliative Care Provider Directory of Hospitals:
• www.getpalliativecare.org/providers
Questions?
For more information:
http://www.wacancer.org/TASKFORCES/SURVIVORSHIP.aspx