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Palliative Care

Tri-City Medical Services

Palliative Care2021-06-10T20:31:36-07:00

Palliative Care

Palliative care at Tri-City Medical Center enhances your quality of life as you manage a serious health issue. Ask about getting this care during any stage of medical treatment for your condition. Palliative services ease symptoms of illnesses, help relieve side effects of treatment and provide emotional support. You and your family will feel more comfortable before, during and after your treatment thanks to our compassionate team.

Will Palliative Care Benefit Me?

Palliative care is designed for people of any age who experience serious conditions such as:

  • Cancer
  • Chronic pain
  • Diabetes
  • Diseases of the heart, lungs, kidneys or liver
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Neurological illnesses and injuries, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) or stroke

What Does Palliative Care Include?

At Tri-City Medical Center, you or your loved ones can take advantage of many palliative care services, including:

  • Pain relief – Medications, physical therapy, massage therapy and other approaches to reducing discomfort
  • Counseling – One-on-one and group therapy to help you cope with your condition and maintain good relationships as you manage the illness
  • Pastoral care – Visits from nondenominational chaplains who listen to your concerns and offer spiritual guidance with compassion and understanding
  • Symptom management – Relief from shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite, insomnia and other problems resulting from your disease or medical treatment
  • Guidance in preparing advance directives, which tell your doctor how to care for you if you become unable to communicate your preferences

How Does My Palliative Care Team Help?

Your palliative care team may include a social worker, nurse, pharmacist, dietitian, massage therapist, physical therapist, occupational therapist and chaplain. They focus on you, not your illness. Ask them for advice about how to realize your vision for quality of life—which may include spending time with loved ones, reducing pain or completing everyday tasks. Explain your personal and religious values, so our palliative care professionals serve you in ways that respect your beliefs. Let team members know if you don’t understand your disease or treatment. They’ll help facilitate communication between you and your primary care doctor.

How Does Palliative Care and Hospice Care Differ?

Palliative care is for people with any serious health condition. You may get palliative care even as you receive medical treatment that’s intended to cure your disease.

Hospice care is designed for patients who face a terminal illness and may have only a short time to live. Patients who receive hospice care are no longer seeking curative medical treatment.

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