Doctors spend years learning how to diagnose and treat patients, all with the goal of curing whatever ails them. Some treatments can be as simple as prescribing a medication that the person can pick up and take home with them, while others can be long and even painful.  According to the Center to Advance Palliative Care, over the past 20 years there has been an increase in the use of palliative care to aid in such serious illnesses.

Palliative care focuses soley on the pain and stress that come with illness and sometimes their treatments. Some examples of the symptoms that palliative care can help relieve:

*pain
*shortness of breath                                                                                          
*fatigue
*constipation
*nausea
*loss of appetite
*difficulty sleeping

Palliative care is not to be confused with hospice however.  Though hospice is a form of palliative care, it is used only in cases of termimally ill patients.  Where as a palliative caregiver may provide aid during chemotherapy, such as help with appetite and pain management, hospice would only step in if the cancer was diagnosed incurable and the patient had less than six months to live.  Hospice care includes:

*expert treatment of pain and other symptoms'
*close, clear communication
*help navigate the health care system
*guidance with difficult and complex treatment choices
*detailed practical information and assistance
*emotional and spiritual support for patient and their family

Palliative and hospice care teams are being utilized in many health care communities such as nursing homes and hospitals. They also provide in-home services. Together with doctors, they can improve the quality of a patient's or resident's life.  Amberwood Care Centre utilizes a palliative care approach to all of their residents.  Their philosophy is to keep the residents comfortable and relieve the stress in their daily lives.  It is easy for  seniors, many who suffer from chronic ailments, to become overwhlemed with pain and discomfort.  By relieving the residents of some these pains, they help to create a happier community overall. 

(image provided by www.babyboomercare.com)