A Palliative Approach to Care

Palliative care allows patients with life-limiting illnesses to live as comfortably as possible in their final days.

This overview of palliative care will address some misconceptions and provide practical tips for healthcare staff.

What is Palliative Care?

Palliative care is the care approach taken for patients with life-limiting illnesses who have little to no prospect of cure, where the primary aim of treatment is comfort care and quality of life. This does not necessarily mean stopping medications, treatments and therapies; rather, it involves refocusing goals to minimise any suffering experienced by the patient (Le 2016).

Palliative care is based on individual needs and is different for each patient, aiming to alleviate physical, emotional, social and/or spiritual difficulties (Palliative Care Australia 2015).

In addition to reducing pain and distress, palliative care aims to enhance the patient’s quality of life so they can feel as fulfilled and comfortable as possible. It may positively influence the course of their illness, but the goal is not to quicken nor postpone death (DoH 2019; Palliative Care Australia 2015).

Some therapies and treatments may be delivered concurrently with palliative care (Le 2016).

It is important to note that palliative care is not exclusive to older adults and can be provided to a patient of any age with a life-limiting illness, including children and young people (DoH 2019).