Diane Ronayne ©2005

Compassionate Care

Person Centered Care

Palliative Care

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO)

NHPCO Standards of Practice for Hospice Programs describes palliative care as: Treatment that enhances comfort and improves the quality of an individual’s life during the last phase of life. No specific therapy is excluded from consideration.

The test of palliative care lies in the agreement between the individual, physician(s), primary caregiver, and the hospice team that the expected outcome is relief from distressing symptoms, the easing of pain, and/or enhancing the quality of life. The decision to intervene with active palliative care is based on an ability to meet stated goals rather than affect the underlying disease.

An individual’s needs must continue to be assessed and all treatment options explored and evaluated in the context of the individual’s values and symptoms. The individual’s choices and decisions regarding care are paramount and must be followed.                                                  

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. Palliative care:

• Provides relief from pain and other distressing symptoms

• Affirms life and regards dying as a normal process

• Intends neither to hasten or postpone death

• Integrates the psychological and spiritual aspects of patient care

• Offers a support system to help patients live as actively as possible until death

• Offers a support system to help the family cope during the patients illness and in their own bereavement

• Uses a team approach to address the needs of patients and their families, including bereavement counseling, if indicated

• Will enhance quality of life, and may also positively influence the course of illness

• Is applicable early in the course of illness, in conjunction with other therapies that are intended to prolong life, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, and includes those investigations needed to better understand and manage distressing clinical complications.

Last Acts Task Forces on Palliative Care and the Family

The Five Principles of Palliative Care are a vision for better care at the end of life. They were developed for people who are dying, their families, and their loved ones by the Last Acts Task Forces on Palliative Care and the Family. The goal of palliative care is to achieve the best quality of life for patients and their families. The principles describe what care can and should be like for everyone facing the end of life. Some of these ideas may seem simple or just common sense. But all together they give a new and more complete way to look at care at the end of life. Many hospitals and medical centers are offering palliative care programs. Ask for information about palliative care programs in your area from your doctor, nurse and other members of your care team. Complete article and resources available at Elder Care On Line.

Palliative Care Resources

Send your favorite sites to Jill Darrington, A Better Way Coalition.

If you find a dead site - let us know!

Allow Natural Death "AND" Orders vs. DNR/DNI Orders. Health Care Ethics Consortium of Georgia

Center to Advance Palliative Care, Everything you wanted to know about establishing a palliative care program but were afraid to ask.

Transforming the Culture of Dying, Study yields new model of care of dying patients - unique psychotherapy preserves sense of dignity.

VA Nationwide Palliative Care Network, Comprehensive list of general resources.