Palliative Care

Palliative care is an approach to care for people who are facing a serious, life-limiting illness.  Its goal is to treat the whole person and not merely the disease. By identifying and addressing the sources of suffering  (physical, psychosocial and spiritual) a palliative approach to care helps people live as fully, as comfortably, and as well as possible until the end of their life.

Palliative care:

• Can be provided to people of any age, in any setting (e.g. home, care home, hospital, hospice) by health-care providers, family members, and other caregivers.
• Is not merely for the end of life but can also be integrated early in the course of illness, in conjunction with other therapies that are intended to prolong life, such as chemotherapy.
• Is provided for as long as needed - hours, days, weeks, months, or even years.
• Supports their family and others who care about and support them.
• Respects and helps to honour the person's culture and traditions.
• Assists the person - and their family - in making important decisions about their health and in sharing those decisions.
• Affirms life and regards dying as a normal process.
• Intends neither to hasten nor unnecessarily delay death.
• Provides grief support for loved ones after death.