Often, people who have complex illnesses, or those with other serious medical conditions, are given Palliative Care. The purpose of this type of care is to improve the quality of life of a person with a disease, to relieve suffering, and to minimize the risk of complications.

Treatment for other symptoms

Using palliative care can help relieve the stress and pain of a serious illness. Palliative care can also improve the quality of life of a patient and their family. The team at OHSU Palliative Care Service can help a patient with their symptoms while also working with the patient's main doctor to coordinate treatment options.

Palliative care services can be provided in a hospital, long-term care facility, or in the home. The team can provide a range of benefits from bereavement counselling to education on lifestyle changes. Regardless of the location of the care, the main goal is to reduce pain and other symptoms.

For instance, palliative care treatments can reduce pain caused by chemotherapy drugs. There are also complementary treatments that may be helpful, including art therapy, guided imagery, and massage. These methods have been proven to be effective.

The most important thing to do is find a palliative care provider and ask about the benefits. These services can provide relief from symptoms and help patients manage COPD, a lung disease.

Treatment for emotional, social, and coping problems

Using palliative care treatment for emotional, social, and coping problems is an important approach to enhancing the quality of life of patients with advanced cancer. A study was conducted to determine the effect of various coping strategies on quality of life (QOL) in terminally ill cancer patients receiving palliative care.

Patients were asked to indicate the most significant stressors in each of the three dimensions. They were also asked to describe their coping strategies. The strategies were evaluated by multiple linear regression analyses. The results showed that problem-focused coping strategies were more effective than other strategies. The results also showed that emotion-focused coping strategies were less effective for physical stressors.

Using palliative care treatment for emotion, social, and coping problems can help patients reach a point of acceptance and peace. Patients may also become more aware of their values and spiritual beliefs. This can help them find meaning in their life.

Palliative care treatments may involve physical therapies, nutritional guidance, integrative therapies, and family meetings. Therapists may also help patients cope with issues such as sleep problems, eating problems, and stress.

Treatment for spiritual issues

Identifying and addressing spiritual issues in palliative care is an important part of enhancing a patient's quality of life. Unaddressed spiritual problems can result in social isolation, anxiety, depression, and panic. These symptoms can also negatively affect the physical health of a patient.

Spirituality includes religious perspectives, religious beliefs, and existential concerns. It may also include the sense of connection to nature, arts, and science.

When a patient begins to experience spiritual distress, a clinical chaplain may be the appropriate resource. This practitioner may also lead the patient in prayer or other rituals.

A spiritual history should be obtained by a clinician involved in the admission process. This history should be more detailed than a screening.

Patients may ask the clinician to lead them in prayer, say the rosary, or read scripture. The physician can also modify the patient's treatment plan, based on his or her spiritual needs. The physician's ability to offer compassion is a powerful therapeutic intervention.