Palliative Care

Palliative Care is an extra layer of support for people living with serious illness. It is provided in addition to all the care you receive from your doctors and other healthcare providers with the focus of relieving the symptoms and stress of a serious illness. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage of a serious illness and can be provided along with curative treatment. The goal is to keep you healthier and more supported at home and to improve quality of life for you and your family members.

Home-based Palliative Care is provided in your home by a team that includes a doctor, nurse, social worker, and chaplain/spiritual care provider. The Palliative Care Team meets with you in your home to personalize care services to meet your individual needs and the needs of your family and caregivers.

Yes. Holistic Care Hospice and Palliative Care has a special distinction in Palliative Care that is separate than both our Hospice Care programs and our Home Health Care programs. This means that Holistic Care’s Palliative Care program is a true medical model that is truly independent from our other programs. We are proudly accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Health Care (ACHC).

Sometimes it can be hard to identify when it is the right time for extra support. Here are some signs that it may be time to consider Palliative Care:

Frequent Hospitalizations/ Emergency Room Visits

Profound weakness or fatigue

Frequent or recurrent infections

Uncontrolled or increased pain

Wounds that are not healing

Difficulty breathing / dyspnea with minimal exertion

Frequent falls or unsteady gait

Change in mental status/ decreased cognitive ability

Difficulty in swallowing

Uncontrolled nausea or vomiting

Loss of appetite or refusing food

Progressive weight loss or sudden unexplained weight loss

Medically frail/ co-morbid conditions

Other side effects from aggressive treatment such as chemotherapy or dialysis

The Palliative Care Team will provide on-going assessments of each person’s needs. A person’s insurance and their individual needs will determine how long care is provided.

Holistic Care Palliative Care collaborates with your primary care or specialist physician to provide you the best care possible. You will continue to see your current physician and health care team. Palliative Care is provided in addition to all of your usual health care services and our Medical Director is there only as an extra layer of support when your physician in not available.

Holistic Care Palliative Care collaborates with your primary care or specialist physician to provide you the best care possible. You will continue to see your current physician and health care team. Palliative Care is provided in addition to all of your usual health care services and our Medical Director is there only as an extra layer of support when your physician in not available.

No, you can continue to receive all of your usual care and any treatments recommended by your doctors. Palliative Care is provided in addition to your current treatment.

The Palliative Care Team provides patient-centered care that is tailored to your needs. Your personal plan of care will determine how often you will receive visits from our clinicians, but our minimum nursing visit is once per month.

You have the option of refusing any service or care you are not happy with. The Palliative Care Team will work with you to personalize your care to fit your specific wants and needs.

The non-denominational chaplain is available to you only if you want or need him or her to visit you. If you do not want a chaplain, you can refuse this service.

Home-based Palliative Care is a covered benefit by many insurances. For more information regarding your particular insurance please contact us.

Home Health Care is skilled intermittent care for people that are considered home bound. This means that insurance only covers Home Health Care for a short period of time for people with a skilled need that have difficulty leaving their home. Examples of skilled needs are: physical therapy, speech therapy, wound care, IV therapy, etc.

Palliative Care is on-going support for people with a serious illness by experts at symptom management. Palliative care can be provided in conjunction with Home Health Care if, for example, a person also needed therapy. Home Health Care and Palliative Care can be complimentary services.

You may benefit from improved pain and symptom control and receive extra emotional support. You also will have access to a a nurse 24 hours per day, 7 days a week through a telephone Palliative Care Hotline. If you need help with obtaining community services such as meals on Wheels or a home care aid, the Palliative Care social Worker will provide appropriate referrals and assist you in obtaining such services. A Nurse can provide you or your caregiver with education in such tasks as administering medications, preventing infections, using home medical devices, etc.

Services Include:

Provide support so that patients can avoid unnecessary emergency room visits

24/7 Nurse Hotline

Collaboration with your primary care or specialist physician

Home visits by our Palliative Care Team

Coordination of any diagnostic services in your home

Advance Care Planning

Problems that Palliative Care can Help Address:

Pain

Nausea

Loss of appetite

Fatigue

Difficulty breathing

Anxiety

Confusion

Constipation

Depression

Weakness

Weight loss

Diarrhea

Advance Directives

Family concerns, stress and fear

Financial matters

Legal issues

Medical and insurance forms

Questions of faith

Sleeps problems