Palliative Care Palliative Care Nurse making a house visit to a senior patient for palliative care

What is Palliative Care?

Palliative care is specialized medical care for individuals living with serious illnesses, such as dementia, cancer, heart disease, and lung disease. It focuses on providing relief from symptoms and stress to improve the quality of life for patients and their families. Unlike hospice care, palliative care can be provided alongside curative treatments at any stage of the illness.

Key Features of Palliative Care:

  • Symptom Management: Expert care to manage pain, nausea, shortness of breath, and other distressing symptoms.
  • Comprehensive Support: Emotional, spiritual, and social support to help patients and families navigate the healthcare system and make informed decisions about their care.
  • Customized Care Plans: Personalized care plans tailored to the needs and goals of each patient, ensuring their healthcare wishes are respected and communicated to all providers.
  • Interdisciplinary Team: Care provided by a team of advanced practice providers, nurses, social workers, chaplains, and other specialists who collaborate with your primary healthcare team.

Goals of Palliative Care:

  • Optimize Quality of Life: Helping patients live as comfortably and independently as possible.
  • Prevent Hospitalizations: Reducing the need for frequent hospital visits through effective symptom management.
  • Empower Patients and Families: Providing the knowledge and support needed to manage complex illnesses and make informed care choices.

How to Access Palliative Care:

If you or a loved one is living with a serious illness, palliative care may provide the necessary support to manage symptoms, reduce stress, and improve the overall quality of life. Contact us to learn more about how palliative care can benefit you and your family.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is eligible for palliative care?

Anyone with a serious illness, regardless of prognosis, who is seeking curative, palliative, or aggressive treatment. Your personal physician is willing to collaborate with our team, and you must reside in our service area.

  • Alexander, Ashville, Leicester, and Weaverville in Buncombe County; Hot Springs, Marshall, and Mars Hill in Madison County; Little Switzerland in McDowell County; Bakersville and Spruce Pine in Mitchell County; Green Mountain and Micaville in Yancey County.

Common Illnesses Treated:

  • Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementias
  • Cancer
  • Parkinson’s Disease
  • Heart Failure
  • Liver or Kidney Failure
  • COPD
  • HIV/AIDS
  • Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
  • Stroke (CVA)
  • Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

How does the palliative care team interact to provide care?

Our palliative care team is dedicated to managing patients and their loved ones’ physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.

This interdisciplinary team consists of:

  • Providers: Physicians, Physician Assistants, Nurse Practitioners
  • Social Workers
  • Chaplains
  • Other Specialists

Key Responsibilities of Our Palliative Care Team:

  • Initial and Ongoing Assessments: Conduct meetings to understand the patient’s needs, concerns, goals, and preferred treatments.
  • Symptom Management: Prescribing treatments, medications, and activities to manage pain and other symptoms.
  • Comprehensive Support: Providing medical and emotional support and guidance throughout the care process.
  • Coordination of Care: Ensuring healthcare providers can focus on treatment while we maintain the patient’s comfort and manage their overall well-being.
  • Healthcare Navigation: Assisting patients and their families in navigating the healthcare system and coordinating all medical needs.

Our team collaborates closely with your primary healthcare provider to ensure you receive the best care tailored to your needs.

Does a person have to be at home to have palliative care support?

Palliative care can be provided in various settings, including private homes, nursing centers, assisted living communities, hospitals, and outpatient clinics. Increasingly, palliative care is available outside of the hospital, allowing you to receive care where you live. You, your doctor, and your palliative care team can discuss the best location for your care, whether outpatient palliative care or at-home services.

Common Care Settings:

  • Private residences
  • Assisted living facilities
  • Hospitals and nursing homes

How is Palliative Care Paid For?

Medicare, Medicaid, Veteran Benefits, private insurance, and private pay cover palliative care. These services are provided regardless of the patient’s ability to pay.

Payment for palliative care is treated like any other medical service covered by your insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid. Palliative care is a consultative specialty service similar to any specialist your primary care physician might recommend. Your insurance policy will detail co-payments and other financial obligations for your consultation. 

Thanks to our generous donors, patients can access palliative care services regardless of financial status.