How does Palliative Care Help with Symptom Management?
Palliative care provides a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to managing the physical and emotional burdens of serious illness. At Cherish Hospice, the goal is to enhance quality of life by alleviating pain and stress rather than focusing solely on the disease.
Key ways palliative care helps with symptom management include:
- Personalized Medical Strategies: A Medical Director and multidisciplinary team (physicians, nurses, social workers, and chaplains) create individualized plans to address pain, shortness of breath, nausea, fatigue, anxiety, and depression.
- Continuous Monitoring: Registered nurses provide skilled care, including health assessments, medication management, and constant adjustment of comfort measures.
- 24/7 Dedicated Response: A specialized team is available around the clock to address urgent needs and provide hands-on care at any time.
- Complementary Therapies: Non-pharmacologic options are used to ease distress, such as Cherish Touch (therapeutic touch), Cherish Sounds (music therapy), aromatherapy, and pet therapy.
- Holistic Support: Dedicated social workers and chaplains address the spiritual and emotional suffering that can intensify physical symptoms.
- Integration with Active Treatment: Palliative care can be provided alongside curative treatments like chemotherapy to manage treatment-related side effects such as nausea and fatigue, ensuring comfort is never delayed.
Related FAQs
-
Is Respite Care Covered under the Medicare Hospice Benefit?
Read More »: Is Respite Care Covered under the Medicare Hospice Benefit?Yes, respite care is a vital benefit built into the Medicare hospice benefit. This service is designed to provide temporary relief for primary caregivers to help prevent burnout. Under this benefit, families can access the following support: Cherish Hospice coordinates…
-
Where can I Receive Palliative Care in my Community?
Read More »: Where can I Receive Palliative Care in my Community?You can receive palliative care services through Cherish Hospice across various communities in Ohio and Indiana. The organization provides care directly in the patient’s neighborhood, ensuring families do not have to travel far for support. Primary Service Locations Cherish Hospice…
-
What Services are Included in a Palliative Care Plan?
Read More »: What Services are Included in a Palliative Care Plan?A palliative care plan at Cherish Hospice includes a comprehensive range of medical, emotional, and specialized support services designed to enhance a patient’s quality of life. The core components include: Core Medical and Supportive Care Emotional, Spiritual, and Complementary Support…
-
How does Palliative Care Help with Symptom Management?
Read More »: How does Palliative Care Help with Symptom Management?Palliative care provides a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to managing the physical and emotional burdens of serious illness. At Cherish Hospice, the goal is to enhance quality of life by alleviating pain and stress rather than focusing solely on the disease.…
-
What are the Clinical Signs that a Patient is Ready for Hospice?
Read More »: What are the Clinical Signs that a Patient is Ready for Hospice?Identifying when a patient is ready for hospice involves recognizing specific physical, cognitive, and functional changes. Clinical readiness is generally determined by a physician’s estimate of a six-month prognosis or less, based on the typical course of an illness. Key…