Palliative Care

Palliative care: Improving quality of life through pain relief and symptom management

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Learning to live with a serious illness is an unfamiliar challenge that most of us are unprepared to meet on our own. Yet, after the diagnosis, significant relief — both physical and mental — can be found through a specialized type of health care known as palliative care.

Bringing comfort and peace of mind to patients and their families

Palliative care is provided in addition to a traditional medical treatment plan to help patients manage any resulting side effects and untreated symptoms. Coordinated by doctors, nurses, caregivers, and family members, this type of care provides an extra layer of support that doesn’t focus on medical intervention but instead is focused on pain relief, comfort, and improving the quality of life.

Palliative care can address a wide variety of symptoms, such as nausea, trouble sleeping, pain, difficulty breathing, digestive upset, and fatigue, along with psychological and emotional symptoms such as anxiety, stress, depression, and more. The additional layer of support provided through palliative care helps patients better cope with these challenges, leading to a profound sense of relief and improved peace of mind for the entire family.

How can Beacon Home Care help?

The caregiving team at Beacon Home Care is specially trained to provide non-medical palliative care assistance through compassionate support for clients of any age, at any stage of their diagnosis, in the comfort of their own home. We help people living with chronic diseases such as COPD, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, HIV/AIDS, as well as people going through cancer treatments, recovering from stroke, or managing heart disease, kidney failure, or liver failure.

Our caregivers provide a variety of services, including medication management, wound supervision, symptom monitoring, non-medical pain management, and mobility assistance, along with much-needed companionship and emotional support. We also provide adult respite care to support family caregivers to improve their quality of life as well.

Who can benefit from palliative care?

Palliative care does not replace traditional medical care, nor is it reserved for cancer patients or people who have discontinued curative treatments. While your medical treatment plan targets the illness, your palliative care plan targets pain and suffering to help improve your quality of life. We work with patients and families to help navigate treatment plans that align with your wants, needs, and values.

Palliative care goes beyond traditional treatment plans to help you understand your illness, make informed decisions about your options, and connect you to community resources. It can also help you clarify your desires, communicate with family and medical professionals, and process the emotions that accompany a diagnosis. As part of the patient’s larger care team, your Beacon Home Care caregiver provides support to both patients and family members from initial diagnosis through curative treatments, and, if necessary, a transition to hospice care.

Getting started

The first step in receiving palliative care is a consultation. During your initial consultation, you can expect to discuss your current symptoms, medications and side effects, treatment options, and values. With this information, you’ll work together to develop a personalized support plan that includes steps to manage symptoms, provide relief from pain, and implement techniques to improve your overall well-being.

After your consultation, a written plan of care can be put in place and shared with all of your care team members. The care plan reflects your own personal goals for care and provides specific details for how to manage each of your symptoms, the frequency of any interventions, and the timing for follow-ups. It may also include educational resources, emergency instructions, and contact information for doctors and other care team members.

Having a plan in place can greatly improve peace of mind for all the people involved and help make sure that care is provided according to your wishes. Your Beacon Home Care caregiver will help put the plan into action so you can manage your condition on your own terms.

Frequently asked questions about Palliative Care

What is palliative care?

Palliative care is a specialized type of health care that focuses on improving quality of life by managing symptoms of chronic diseases. With a focus on comfort, pain relief, and social support, palliative care supports patients with serious illness.

Is palliative care right for me?

Anyone dealing with physical, emotional, or spiritual challenges while managing a serious illness can see benefits from palliative care. Regardless of your age or stage of disease, if your quality of life is being impacted by serious illness, palliative care can help.

What is the difference between palliative care vs hospice care?

Palliative care can be provided at any stage of life, for any serious illness that impacts the patient’s ability to live life to its fullest, and is not limited to cancer or end-of-life patients. Hospice is a special subtype of palliative care that is specifically focused on a patient’s last six months of life. Palliative care may or may not progress to hospice care depending on the progression of a patient’s illness.

What kind of services might be provided?

Palliative care can encompass a range of activities, including social support, mental and physical exercises, patient advocacy, and education. Our compassionate caregivers help patients navigate their treatment options, communicate their wants and needs, and provide services that give much-needed relief during difficult times. Examples include non-medical pain relief such as ice pads, meditation or breathing exercises for anxiety, or memory-stimulating activities for dementia care patients.

Will insurance cover palliative care?

Palliative care may be covered by Medicare or Medicaid, private insurance, or VA health benefits. Your insurance provider can help you determine your eligibilityPalliative care may be covered by Medicare or Medicaid, private insurance, or VA health benefits. Your insurance provider can help you determine your eligibility.

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Getting Started With

Beacon Home Care is Easy.

We understand that navigating care needs can be a complex process, and it’s natural to have questions and concerns. Our primary aim at Beacon Home Care is to make this journey as smooth and stress-free as possible for you and your family. We are committed to providing compassionate and reliable support every step of the way.

We’d Love to Hear Your Story.

Once you share your specific care needs, we will provide our expertise and resources to guide you through every step of establishing and maintaining the best care solution.

We look forward to helping you find the peace of mind you deserve.