Barbara Bush and the problem with 'comfort care'

The attached article speaks to the differences between "comfort care" and "hospice care".  These two different types of care can be very difficult to understand, not only for the patient, but also for their families.  When Mrs. Bush's family graciously chose to share with the world that she was receiving "comfort care" there was confusion as to what that really meant.

This article is written by Ravi Parikh, M.D..  whom is a fellow in hematology and oncology at the University of Pennsylvania and a senior clinical advisor at the Coalition to Transform Advanced Care.  Dr. Parikh writes that often the confusion over the different types of care available for the patient, usually starts with the vague language the doctor uses to describe the various options.  This language can reduce the patients odds of receiving appropriate types of care.

For this blog post, lets focus only on what Palliative Care really is.
Palliative care, and the medical sub-specialty of palliative medicine, is specialized medical care for people living with serious illness. It focuses on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family.

Palliative care is provided by a team of palliative care doctors, nurses, social workers and others who work together with a patient’s other doctors to provide an extra layer of support. It is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness and can be provided along with curative treatment.

Palliative Care is a great option for those suffering with a serious illness.  Please share this with your loved ones!
To learn more, please feel free to contact me.

READ MORE HERE!