One of the reasons that seniors and family members consider palliative care is in hopes that it promises something concrete in terms of extending your senior’s life. Because this type of care focuses on quality of life, your senior may just see some improvements in her overall well-being. Here are some of the things that you should know in making that decision.
There Are No Time Limits with Palliative Care
Unlike hospice, your senior does not have any time limits when it comes to palliative care. Hospice, for instance, is reserved for patients who are expected to have six or fewer months left to live. Your senior can access palliative care at any time after developing a chronic or life-limiting illness. Many people who opt for palliative care do so when their symptoms worsen significantly.
Your Senior’s Care Teams All Work Together
The best part of palliative care is that your senior doesn’t have to give up curative treatments. Her existing doctors work in tandem with her palliative team to develop a comprehensive plan for managing her illness. That means that none of her treatments are going to contradict each other or set her back in any way.
Palliative Care Addresses a Range of Needs
Your senior is a whole person with a wide range of spiritual, psychological, and emotional needs. Palliative care understands this and works to ensure that all of her needs are met on as many of those levels as possible. This type of care includes family members, too, including you as her family caregiver. It’s a holistic approach to ensuring your senior is able to live her life on her own terms.
Arcy Healthcare, we use the term “supportive care” to describe this type of care. Palliative care is provided by a Nurse Practitioner on the team at Arcy Supportive Care.
Many People Are Able to Extend Their Lives with Palliative Treatments
Palliative care helps to manage symptoms that are otherwise uncomfortable and draining for your senior. While palliative treatments are not curative, patients who opt for this type of care can extend their lives. Even if your senior doesn’t experience years of additional time after her diagnosis, she may be far more comfortable than she would have been had she not opted to give this type of care a try.
Palliative care is not a guarantee of additional life and every situation and illness is different. That said, this type of care can be an incredible relief for your senior as well as for you and for other family members. It’s a way to do more for your senior while not interfering with curative therapies.
If you or an aging loved-one is considering palliative (supportive) care in north Texas, please contact the caring staff at Arcy Supportive Care today at 469-348-0670.
My name is Jimmie Stapleton. I am the founder and CEO of Arcy Healthcare. Arcy Healthcare includes Arcy Hospice, Arcy Supportive Care, MaximaCare Home Health and Arcy at Home.
Arcy Hospice was opened in 2007 to provide care and support for individuals and families facing a life limiting illness. It was established after my wife Ellen, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, had completed her chemo and radiation therapies. At that time, things were looking positive, and we wanted to do something for our community that had been so supportive of our family during her treatments. Unfortunately, the cancer returned a few years later, and she subsequently passed away under our care in 2010.
In the years that followed, I began to see the need to provide the same level of excellent care to patients across the continuum of care. Therefore, we have added a home health division (MaximaCare Home Health), a palliative care division (Arcy Supportive Care), and a home care division, (Arcy at Home). With the addition of these divisions, we can meet most of the post-acute care needs for you and your family in your home.
I started Arcy Hospice with my wife as my motivation to provide exceptional care and support in the patient’s home, where they are surrounded by family and where they feel most comfortable. I’m proud to say that our staff provides some of the best in home care in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area.
Please let us know if we can enrich the quality of life for you or a loved one.
Sincerely,
Jimmie Stapleton – Founder and CEO
Arcy Healthcare
- Why Your Elderly Mom May Have High Blood Pressure - April 17, 2024
- Foods Senior Home Care Can Make Your Loved One - April 3, 2024
- The Power of Routine: How Home Health Provides Seniors with Stability - March 20, 2024
