It is an approach that includes practices aimed at preventing and alleviating suffering and improving the quality of life in patients and families who face problems arising from life-threatening diseases, through early diagnosis and perfect evaluation of pain and other problems, and meeting physical, psychosocial and spiritual needs.”
(WHO 2006 definition)
Adding years to one's life, not years to one's life.
Provides relief from pain and other uncomfortable symptoms
Supports life but perceives death as a natural process
It is not intended to hasten or postpone death
Integrate psychosocial and spiritual aspects of patient care into physical care
Supports patients in living as active a life as possible until the end
Supports relatives in coping with their own grief process during and after the illness
Uses a team approach in meeting the needs of patients and their relatives, including grief counseling when necessary
Improves quality of life and can also positively influence the disease process
In the early stages of the disease process; can be used in combination with therapies aimed at prolonging life, such as CT and RT; provides a better understanding and management of clinical complications
Terminal cancer patients
Cancer patients with chronic pain, even if not in the terminal stage
Patients with nutritional deficiencies
COPD patients without acute problems who use NIV at home or in hospital
Neurological diseases (dementia, post resuscitation and CVO related chronic care patients)
Care patients with ALS, MS, Parkinson's and other neuromuscular diseases
Conscious quadriplegic care patients with or without tracheostomy
Patients whose protein energy intake is malnourished for various reasons
Patients whose tracheostomy or PEG will be changed or closed
Patients with pressure sores
Palliative care refers to simply reducing or relieving symptoms after taking information from the patient and performing a physical examination, without investigating the cause of the symptoms or treating the cause of the symptoms. For example, a palliative care team will treat symptoms such as shortness of breath and pain when breathing in the same way, whether they are caused by lung cancer, pneumonia, angina or any other illness. Asking the patient what is bothering them and performing a physical examination will almost always provide enough information to relieve the symptoms, without the need for a chest X-ray or other tests. If the patient is being treated for the illness, palliative care is only expected to relieve the distressing symptoms; if it is known that the illness causing the symptoms is no longer treatable, the palliative care team is only expected to relieve the symptoms.