Palliative Care

Palliative Care In Hyderabad

Serious illnesses are hard to deal with and they take a toll on not only the patient’s body but also his/her mental health. Palliative care is provided to patients, adults and children alike, who are dealing with life-threatening illnesses.  Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life of such patients and it also helps them deal with the challenges associated with going through such diseases. These challenges may be physical, psychological, spiritual or social. Palliative care tries to reduce the stress and symptoms of the disease. 

Palliative care does not just look to lessen the physical symptoms of a disease but it provides a comprehensive system that helps the patients and their families by identification of early-onset symptoms, correct assessment, support for bereavement, etc. On the whole, it focuses on helping terminal patients live as active a life as possible till death. 

Diseases for which palliative care is provided

There are a large number of diseases that may require palliative care for patients suffering from them. These are chronic illnesses that are life-threatening and therefore patients find it hard to deal with them due to the agony in which they are. Some of these diseases are:

• Cancer 

• ALS

• Alzheimer's

• Heart diseases like  congestive heart failure (CHF), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 

• Kidney failure

• Parkinson’s

• COVID-19

• AIDS

• Eosinophil Associated Disease (EAD)

• Huntington’s Disease

• Pulmonary Fibrosis

• Sickle Cell Anaemia

• Stroke

• Multiple Sclerosis

Other diseases that may be life-threatening for adults and children will also require good quality palliative care to help patients deal with them.

Who provides palliative care?

A specially trained team of doctors, nurses, healthcare staff, etc. is a comprehensive care system that consists of a wide range of professionals delivering specific care services to the patients. These include physicians, nursing, support workers, paramedics, pharmacists, physiotherapists and volunteers. All these individuals come together to provide holistic support and care to the patient and their family members. 

Palliative care aims to help the patient understand his disease and take control of it by matching their goal with that of the doctors. Palliative care specialists advocate for the patient’s needs under all circumstances. The team also works to reduce the symptoms of the disease by providing them with pain relief medications etc. The palliative care team works with the patient and their families in addition to the existing doctors as an added layer of support for them.

Treatments offered by CARE Hospitals

CARE Hospitals have a devoted team of doctors, nurses, and medical staff who are trained to provide the best care for their patients. 

• Palliative surgeries for Univentricular Heart: CARE Hospitals have a well-trained team of doctors who specialise in palliative surgeries for the univentricular heart. The surgery is meant to improve the quality of life of the patients by reducing the symptoms that the patient suffers from. Our doctors will try to provide the most relief with the least possible intervention. 

• Cancer treatments: cancer is one of the most common diseases for which palliative care is sought by critical patients. CARE Hospitals have the most advanced facilities to treat most cancers with the best treatment. CARE Hospitals offers treatments for;

  • Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, 
  • Adrenal Tumours, 
  • Basal Cell Carcinoma, 
  • Basal Cell Nevus Syndrome, 
  • Bile Duct Cancer, 
  • Biliary Cirrhosis, 
  • Bladder Cancer, 
  • Bone Cancers, 
  • Brain Tumours, 
  • Cardiac Sarcoma, 
  • Cervical Cancer, 
  • Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia, 
  • Chronic Myelogenous Leukaemia, 
  • Cowden Syndrome, 
  • Cutaneous T-Cell Lymphoma, 
  • Endometrial Cancer, 
  • Oesophageal Cancer, 
  • Hodgkin Lymphoma or Hodgkin’s Disease, 
  • Kidney Cancer, 
  • Laryngeal Cancer, 
  • Li-Fraumeni Syndrome, 
  • Liver Cancer, 
  • Lung Cancer, 
  • Melanoma, 
  • Merkel Cell Carcinoma, 
  • Metastatic Brain Cancer, 
  • Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, 
  • Oral Cancer, 
  • Osteosarcoma, 
  • Ovarian Cancer, 
  • Pancreatic Cancer, 
  • Peutz-Jeghers Syndrome, 
  • Pheochromocytoma, 
  • Prostate Cancer,
  • Skin Cancer, 
  • Squamous Cell Carcinoma, 
  • Stomach Cancer, 
  • Testicular Cancer, 
  • Uterine Cancer, 
  • Vaginal Cancer, 
  • Vulvar Cancer, etc.

Critical care medicine: CARE Hospitals have one of the best critical care centres in the country. We maintain a 1:1 patient-nurse ratio and a dedicated medical staff that is present 24/7 with the patients. With the most advanced tools, and staff trained to sensitively handle serious patients, CARE Hospitals ensures that our patients are well advocated for and their physical and mental needs are our topmost priority. 

What issues are addressed in palliative care?

Palliative care is a type of support that considers the unique needs of each person dealing with cancer and its treatment. It helps in various aspects, and here's a simplified breakdown:

1. Physical Well-being: Palliative care helps with common physical problems like pain, tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, trouble breathing, and sleep issues.
2. Emotional Support and Coping: It provides resources to manage the tough feelings that can come with a cancer diagnosis, such as sadness, anxiety, and fear.
3. Spiritual Guidance: When someone has cancer, they might search for deeper meaning in life or struggle with why it happened. Palliative care experts assist in exploring these thoughts, aiming to find peace or acceptance.
4. Caregiver Support: Family and friends also need help. They often feel overwhelmed by caring for their loved one while managing work, home, and their own feelings. Palliative care recognizes this and offers support.
5. Practical Assistance: Palliative care specialists can assist with practical matters like money, legal issues, insurance, and work concerns. They also help in discussing care goals, and advance plans, and improving communication among family and healthcare teams.

How can CARE Hospitals help?

CARE Hospitals have a wholesome approach towards its patients. Our doctors are trained to not just treat the disease but also support the patient entirely in every area related to his/her health. Our professionally trained staff works day in and day out to provide a complete support system and a nurturing environment for our patients. We understand that palliative care in India is recognised as a human right to health, and we do our best to provide the best possible care for patients who are suffering from life-threatening diseases. Such patients will also benefit from our world-class medical facility and healthcare professionals who are trained specifically to care for such patients sensitively.  We aim to provide a complete physical, mental, and psychosocial support system for our patients.

FAQs

1. Who can benefit from palliative care?

Palliative care is beneficial for individuals of all ages facing chronic, severe, or life-threatening illnesses such as cancer, heart failure, ALS, dementia, and more. It can be provided alongside curative treatments and is not restricted by age or stage of illness.

2. What services are included in palliative care?

Palliative care encompasses a wide range of services, including pain management, symptom control, emotional and psychological support, spiritual guidance, assistance with medical decision-making, and coordination of care across different healthcare providers.

3. When should someone consider palliative care?

Palliative care can be initiated at any stage of a serious illness, from the time of diagnosis onward. It is not limited to end-of-life situations and can help manage symptoms and improve the overall well-being of patients and their families throughout the illness trajectory.