Were you aware that all hospice agencies provide palliative care? According to the World Health Organization, palliative care is “an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual.” (World Health Organization). In short, palliative care focuses on comfort, not cure.
This type of care is available to individuals of any age that are in any stage of a serious illness. It is provided by a specialized team of doctors, nurses, and other health professionals that work alongside the patient’s others doctors to supply extra support. Palliative care could also be given to the patient while receiving curative treatment.
The key goals of palliative care are:
● To enhance the quality of life of patient & family
– To offer support to the patients to live life as meaningfully as possible until death
– To offer the family a system of support throughout the coping process of an ill loved one as well as during their bereavement
● To provide pain relief and symptom management
● To offer emotional support and encouragement when discussing life and the dying process
If this description seems familiar, it may be because it is like hospice care. Hospice is a specific type of palliative care. Hospice only applies to those with a terminal illness and a prognosis of six months or less. Some examples of chronic (not terminal) illnesses that are common among people receiving palliative care include arthritis, asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis.
Although hospice is palliative care, not all palliative care is considered hospice.
If you or a loved one is suffering from high levels of pain or uncontrolled symptoms, please call and tell us about your experience. We care to improve the quality of life for people suffering from serious illnesses. Allow us to help you along your journey.
Reference:
World Health Organization. (2012, January 28). WHO Definition of Palliative Care. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/cancer/palliative/definition/en/
My name is Jimmie Stapleton. I am the founder and CEO of Arcy Healthcare. Arcy Healthcare includes Arcy Hospice, Arcy Supportive Care, MaximaCare Home Health and Arcy at Home.
Arcy Hospice was opened in 2007 to provide care and support for individuals and families facing a life limiting illness. It was established after my wife Ellen, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, had completed her chemo and radiation therapies. At that time, things were looking positive, and we wanted to do something for our community that had been so supportive of our family during her treatments. Unfortunately, the cancer returned a few years later, and she subsequently passed away under our care in 2010.
In the years that followed, I began to see the need to provide the same level of excellent care to patients across the continuum of care. Therefore, we have added a home health division (MaximaCare Home Health), a palliative care division (Arcy Supportive Care), and a home care division, (Arcy at Home). With the addition of these divisions, we can meet most of the post-acute care needs for you and your family in your home.
I started Arcy Hospice with my wife as my motivation to provide exceptional care and support in the patient’s home, where they are surrounded by family and where they feel most comfortable. I’m proud to say that our staff provides some of the best in home care in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area.
Please let us know if we can enrich the quality of life for you or a loved one.
Sincerely,
Jimmie Stapleton – Founder and CEO
Arcy Healthcare
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