How long does palliative care last?
Palliative care provides physical, emotional, and spiritual support to people with life-limiting illnesses. If you have an illness that cannot be cured, palliative care ensures you can continue to live with dignity by managing your pain and other distressing symptoms.
Many people mistakenly believe that palliative care means the end of life is near. This is not always the case. Everyone experiences palliative care differently and many people go on to receive palliative care for years while others are cured and no longer require it.
Here we will briefly discuss what is included in palliative care and how long palliative care lasts.
What is included in palliative care?
Palliative care can involve several clinical duties and day-to-day tasks, all centred around making you feel as comfortable as possible during your illness.
These tasks may include, but are not limited to:
- Discreet and sensitive personal care
- Help with domestic chores
- Planning and cooking meals
- Ensuring proper mobility and safety around the home
- Companionship
- Emotional and spiritual support
- Specialist nurse-led care
- Pet care
When does palliative care begin?
Palliative care can be offered at any time during your life-limiting or long-term illness. You do not need to wait until the advanced stages of your condition or when you are in the final stages of your life. The sooner you begin, the sooner you can start to receive care that enhances your quality of life and makes living with your illness or condition more manageable.
If managing your illness or chronic condition has become difficult, it may be time to seek professional help. Before making any decision about your care, it’s important to speak with your GP and healthcare team to determine the type of care you need to continue to live the life you want.
Even if it becomes clear that your condition can not be cured, palliative care can still help you manage pain and other symptoms while improving your quality of life.
How long does palliative care last?
Palliative care can last for as long as you need it. Some people live comfortably for months or years with the support provided by palliative care while others may even be cured during their treatment and no longer require care. Palliative care is all about helping you achieve the quality of life you want despite the challenges of your illness and regardless of how long it is for.
Common misconceptions about palliative care
There are many misconceptions surrounding palliative care, including:
MYTH: Palliative care is only provided in a hospital or hospice.
To receive palliative care you do not necessarily need to remain in the hospital or move into a hospice. In many cases, palliative care can be offered right in the comfort of your own home.
MYTH: You can only receive palliative care if you are nearing the end of your life.
When faced with the diagnosis of a life-limiting condition, the first question that people often ask is, “does palliative care mean death?” One aspect of palliative care is looking after people with life-limiting illnesses and many palliative care recipients go on to receive palliative care for many years while others are cured and no longer need it.
MYTH: Palliative care is only for the treatment of pain and physical symptoms.
Pain as a symptom is only one of many reasons to seek palliative care. Palliative care can support you in a number of ways such as help with day-to-day tasks, medication management, companionship, or spiritual and emotional support.
MYTH: Treatment stops when palliative care begins.
Beginning palliative care does not mean that your other treatments will stop. Palliative care may begin at any time after your diagnosis, and it may continue for the entirety of your illness. The 5 stages of palliative care often take place alongside other therapies and treatments.
Palliative care from The Good Care Group
At the Good Care Group, we’ve supported people with life-limiting or chronic illnesses for over 10 years. We understand that palliative or end-of-life care needs a compassionate and respectful approach. Our competent and compassionate carers can help you effectively manage the symptoms of your condition while providing companionship and emotional support as, and if, you need it.
Our live-in palliative care nurses help our clients to remain in their treasured homes while receiving the quality care they need. Our professional carers are trained to monitor and measure health outcomes so that we can continually improve the care we provide. All of our palliative carers complete our palliative care training programme endorsed by Dr Kathyrn Mannix, leading palliative care consultant.
Our palliative care services are flexible and live-in care, short-term care and respite care. While each form of care can be tailored to your own unique needs, live-in care offers many additional benefits. A live-in carer will move into your home to provide you with dedicated, round-the-clock care. This allows for a continuity of care that is difficult to achieve with short-term care arrangements.
Talk to us about your palliative care needs
Our friendly and experienced team is here to help you and your family make sense of the options available to you. Call us today – we will help you every step of the way.