Palliative Care

If you or someone you love is living with a serious illness such as congestive heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Alzheimer’s disease and many more, ask your doctor about palliative care.

Palliative care is focused on relieving symptoms and stress, and is appropriate at any age and at any stage of a serious illness. The goal of palliative care is to improve quality of life for you and your family. Best of all, palliative care can be provided along with curative treatment.

At Silver Cross Hospital, our palliative care team works with your primary care doctor, medical specialists, and family members to manage your pain, symptoms, and stress, all while respecting your dignity.

Hospice vs. Palliative Care

It is helpful to note that palliative care is different than hospice care. While both palliative care and hospice care provide comfort, palliative care can begin at diagnosis of a serious illness and continue through active treatment. Hospice care begins after treatment of the disease has stopped. Palliative care may be administered at home, at a facility, or in Silver Cross Hospital, and is covered under Medicare Part B.

When is it Time to Consider Palliative Care?

You may benefit from palliative care, if:

• Your health continues to decline.
• Your symptoms affect your quality of life.
• You can’t manage the daily tasks of living alone.
• You experience frequent hospital admissions and re-admissions.
• You had a prolonged length of stay in the hospital without any sign of progress.
• You experience intense, ongoing pain on a day-to-day basis.

Health Conditions that Benefit from a Palliative Care Consultation:

• Cancer (metastatic/recurrent)
• Advanced lung disease such as COPD
• Stroke with decreased function by at least 50%
• Late-stage renal disease
• Advanced cardiac disease such as heart failure or severe coronary artery disease
• Other life-limiting illnesses, such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s

For more information, download the Palliative Care Brochure.