Specialized palliative care physicians and information on palliative care

Palliative therapy is a part of palliative medicine. Palliative therapy is not about curing diseases, but rather about providing the best possible care for terminally ill patients and their families.

The term “palliative” is derived from the Latin word “pallium,” which means “cloak” or “mantle.” Palliative care, therefore, focuses on caring for seriously ill people.

The goal of palliative care is to support all those affected during this final stage of life and to make it as comfortable as possible for them. This is achieved, for example, through measures that alleviate symptoms and make daily life easier.

The main task of palliative care is to develop a holistic treatment and care plan for each patient. The focus here is on the patient and their current needs.

Palliative care is about supporting people with incurable illnesses @ Chinnapong / AdobeStock

Palliative care is necessary when a patient has a terminal illness and a limited life expectancy. This is most often the case with malignant tumors in advanced stages.

Also included in this category are:

• End-stage neurological diseases
• Severe diseases of vital organs such as the heart or lungs
• Muscle diseases with a limited life expectancy
• Metabolic diseases with a short life expectancy
• Severe dementia

Once the diagnosis has been made, the primary focus is on providing holistic support to the patient.

Palliative care focuses on:

• Relieving physical symptoms associated with the disease. For example, pain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, weakness, and lack of energy.
• Relieving psychological distress, such as depression, anxiety, panic attacks, restlessness, and insomnia;
• Spiritual concerns such as questions of meaning, life after death, etc.;
• Social concerns such as family support, assistance, and guidance in coping together with illness and death, and more.

Depending on the clinical picture, the attending physician initiates individualized and appropriate medical treatment. In the case of a tumor, for example, palliative chemotherapy may be appropriate.

Palliative chemotherapy is not aimed at a cure. Its purpose is to relieve pain. Possible alternatives include effective medications, immunotherapy, or radiation therapy. In rare cases, surgery may be performed.

Patients receiving palliative care benefit from an interdisciplinary and multiprofessional team that works together to care for the patient. The focus here is on measures to improve quality of life and practical assistance in coping with disabilities and symptoms.

If patients are in the final stages of life and require support, care, and medical treatment from specialized staff, admission to a specialized unit is appropriate.

In a hospital, this is the palliative care unit. Alternatively, there are also hospices. While the palliative care unit is located within a hospital, a hospice is an inpatient facility, such as a nursing home.

The staff in palliative care units or hospices come from various fields of expertise.

These include:

• Medical and nursing staff
• Social workers
• Physical therapists
• Psychotherapists
• Respiratory therapists
• Art and music therapists
• Pastoral care

This list illustrates just how holistic palliative care is. Staff at palliative care units or hospices have special training to support people as they approach the end of life.

Palliative care treats pain associated with cancer @ photographee.eu / AdobeStock

 

Patients and their families receive comprehensive support with all the issues that this difficult situation entails. A natural and open approach to taboo topics such as illness, dying, and saying goodbye is very important during this time. Bereaved family members often receive active support in coping with their grief even after the patient’s death.

For everyone involved, impending death is a drastic experience, an extreme situation. Above all, the certainty that therapeutic efforts are no longer effective poses a major challenge for those affected.

Instead of looking toward the future and hoping for better times—as is often favored in Western society—it is now important to cherish every moment as potentially the last and to make it as unique and memorable as possible.

If the diagnosis is approached constructively after the initial shock, it can help all those affected lead a more conscious and fulfilling life. Palliative care offers valuable support and guidance in this regard, in addition to all its other tasks and functions.