Suffering from prolonged diseases or recovering from an injury requires the patient to get individualized care and attention. Sometimes the family members or the guardians fail to provide the essential care due to packed work schedules. This is where at-home palliative care comes into the picture!
Palliative care is a growing field in the medicinal industry that primarily focuses on improving the quality of life of individuals. People with severe or life-threatening illnesses highly appreciate getting palliative care at home. The professionals offering palliative at-home care ensure the patient’s emotional, spiritual, physical, and social well being. Before discussing any further, let us have an in-depth understanding of palliative care.
What is palliative care?
The palliative care services are primarily focused on improving the overall health and well-being of individuals with chronic illnesses. The palliative caregivers are also trained to emotionally support the loved ones or other immediate family members of the patient. The main goals of hiring professionals for palliative care include:
- Understanding the illness, its progression and working for the possible healing
- Identifying and addressing the needs of the patient
- Eliminating or reducing the side effects and symptoms of the treatment
- Helping to cope up emotionally and physically with the illness or stress associated with it
- Understanding new treatment options and assisting the patients with medicines and other treatment
- Providing emotional and spiritual support for ensuring the mental health of the patient
Only individuals with dementia, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD), or other associated illnesses opt for at-home palliative care.
Who provides the at-home palliative care services?
The multidisciplinary team of health professionals who are trained and specialized in the field of medicine are certified to provide at-home palliative care services. It can be either a team of professionals or an individual health caregiver including:
- A palliative care doctor like a neurologist, a psychiatrist, or a specialist for respiratory disorders
- Nurses
- Psychologist
- Counselor
- Social worker
- Physical therapist
- Nutritionist
- Dietitian
- Prosthetist
- Palliative care volunteer
These professionals or a team of professionals ensure the holistic health and well-being of the patient while assisting them with their illness.
When should a patient opt for at-home palliative care?
If a person is suffering from a chronic or life-threatening disease and requires individualistic assistance at home, getting palliative care services is the best option. The patients do not have to wait until their illness is at a later stage. They can avail of these services at an initial stage and even heal from the symptoms of such diseases.
Availing the at-home palliative care services in the initial stages of a certain illness is known to improve the quality of life and the overall survival chances. Since the palliative caregivers are also trained to offer emotional and spiritual support, it helps the patients to reduce depression and get rid of mental health issues.
Are any of your family members suffering from a chronic illness? Are you unable to provide the required care and support to them during these challenging times? It is time for you to get at-home palliative care in BC to support the patient for a quick recovery process.
