Palliative care is specialised treatment for pain, discomfort or stress associated with serious illnesses. Palliative care is often misunderstood or mistaken for solely end-of-life care but, in fact, it can help a patient at any stage of illness, as the goals of palliative care are to achieve the best possible quality of life. These goals are achieved by:
- Treating pain, symptoms such as nausea and fatigue, depression and anxiety throughout illness
- Helping to keep patients as comfortable and active as possible so they can pursue meaningful daily activities
- Developing plans for the care patients want to receive and ensuring that a team approach to coordination of care exists
- Offering support to patients and carers/family members when they are faced with difficult medical decisions or need emotional assistance.
