Palliative Care

Palliative care is an approach to care with the goal of preventing or relieving suffering (physical, psychological, social and spiritual) and improving quality of life for patients with advanced, progressive illness and their families. It is offered at the same time with other medical treatments that are intended to prolong life, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy.

Consistent with Catholic social teaching and the healing ministry of Jesus, Ministry Health Care is dedicated to fostering a culture and expectation of whole person care for all patients and their families. We are committed to the relief of suffering by offering a palliative approach at all stages of illness, as well as ensuring that palliative care and hospice services are available throughout all Ministry service areas.

Palliative Care:

• Serves patients with a life threatening illness and their families
• Affirms life and regards dying as a part of the life cycle
• Intends neither to hasten nor postpone death
• Offers holistic support to help patients live as actively as possible until death
• Offers support to help the family cope throughout the patient’s illness
• Typically provided through a team approach to address the needs of patients and their families
• Collaborates with other programs to support the patient and family
• Provide consultation to physicians, patients and families

Palliative Care is NOT:

• ... a place
• ... a thing
• ... a person
• ... the same as hospice
• ... giving up.