Palliative care is an approach to patient care that is used for patients with terminal cancer as well as patients who cannot be cured, to alleviate the patient’s symptoms and help improve the quality of life during the final stage of life.
What is the approach of Palliative care? How is it beneficial for patients and families? This article compiles all the essential information in detail so that relatives or families can use it as a guideline to appropriately care for patients.
What is Palliative Care?
Palliative Care is care focused on improving the quality of life for patients and their families. This approach was first used and became popular abroad before being developed and applied in Thailand because it yields good results for patients and their relatives.
The goal of palliative care is to reduce suffering in physical, psychological, social, and spiritual aspects, taking into account the patient’s and family’s wishes (The living will). It promotes and supports patients and caregivers to adapt and face various problems appropriately, enhancing the quality of life until the end of life.
4 Key Principles of Palliative Care
- Care for both patients and families: Providing support to patients physically and considering their psychological and social conditions, while listening to the feelings and needs of patients and families.
- Comprehensive and thorough patient assessment: This approach emphasizes understanding the physical and mental condition of the patient to provide the most appropriate and comprehensive care.
- Reducing suffering from physical and psychological symptoms: Providing treatment to alleviate pain and suffering.
- Striving to ensure patients have a comfortable and peaceful end of life: Caring to make patients comfortable and maintain a good quality of life in the final stage without prolonging death in a way that causes suffering to the patient.
Benefits of Palliative Care for Patients and Families
- Palliative care covers both patients and relatives, helping families maintain good relationships with patients throughout the final stage without regrets.
- Palliative care can be provided alongside primary treatments according to the patient’s illness, such as cancer patients who may receive medication or certain therapies.
- Palliative care helps terminal patients have a better quality of life.
Who is Suitable for Palliative Care?
Many people may think palliative care is only suitable for cancer patients, but in reality, it can be for any disease, whether cancer or not. However, most patients with life-threatening illnesses are terminal cancer patients who cannot be cured (End of Life) and are expected to live less than 6 months to 1 year. Therefore, palliative care is suitable as it focuses on improving the quality of life for patients and families.
When Should Palliative Care Begin?
Palliative care can begin as soon as the patient is diagnosed with a progressive (life-threatening) illness, has a life-threatening condition, or when the patient and family are ready to receive palliative care.
Key Symptoms Indicating the Need for Palliative Care
- Pain symptoms
- Respiratory problems, difficulty breathing
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
- Fatigue and muscle weakness
- Abnormal sleep patterns, insomnia, or sleeping all day
- Depression, anxiety, and confusion
Appropriate Places for Palliative Care
Palliative care can be provided at home or in hospitals, depending on the patient’s condition and the readiness and context of the family.
In cases where the patient has severe symptoms, such as infections, hospital care may be necessary due to the need for specialized care, such as intravenous treatment or medication.
How to Access Palliative Care?
Currently, many agencies provide palliative care services, both public and private sectors, promoting patient awareness and understanding of not prolonging life unnecessarily and understanding palliative care to ensure quality of life until the final stage.
Where is a Good Palliative Care Center?
Currently, the Palliative Care Center at Phyathai 3 Hospital offers care specifically for cancer patients and their families. It has the capability to care for terminal cancer patients who often have complications or side effects of the disease, such as pain, infections, pulmonary edema, shortness of breath, as well as psychological symptoms, under the care of a medical team, nursing staff, and psychiatrists experienced in palliative care.
The Palliative Care team at Phyathai 3 Hospital provides comprehensive care in all dimensions to reduce burdens and facilitate patients and families, helping them achieve their final life goals as desired and maintain the best quality of life. The goal is to create valuable moments for patients and families, helping patients feel comfortable, happy, and peaceful throughout the final stage of life.
