What is Palliative Care? Palliative care is a philosophy of
caring focusing on comfort and quality of life throughout a
life-limiting illness. For a dynamic graphic depicting the
relationship between aggressive and palliative care, click here.
Palliative care programs are a relatively new concept. They can
be based in a hospital, medical center, home health agency or
physician clinic. The model of care varies, but the philosophy
and concept are similar throughout all programs. Palliative care
means patient and family-centered care that optimizes quality of
life by anticipating, preventing, and treating suffering.
Palliative care throughout the continuum of illness involves
addressing physical, intellectual, emotional, social and
spiritual needs and facilitating patient autonomy, access to
information, and choice. The measure of life is not its length,
but its fullness. Palliative care means making every day the
best it can be. In Chinese, the symbol for palliative care
stands for “nurturing living.” The empha