What is hospice and palliative care?
The goal of hospice and palliative care is to improve quality of life for people affected by life-threatening illness.
The WHO definition of palliative care states:
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Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual.
Palliative care:
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provides relief from pain and other distressing symptoms;
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affirms life and regards dying as a normal process;
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intends neither to hasten or postpone death;
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integrates the psychological and spiritual aspects of patient care;
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offers a support system to help patients live as actively as possible until death;
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offers a support system to help the family cope during the patient's illness and in their own bereavement;
uses a team approach to address the needs of patients and their families, including bereavement counselling, if indicated;
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will enhance quality of life, and may also positively influence the course of illness;
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is applicable early in the course of illness, in conjunction with other therapies that are intended to prolong life, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy,
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and includes those investigations needed to better understand and manage distressing clinical complications.
Where is hospice and palliative care provided?
Hospice and palliative care is provided wherever a person’s care takes place, whether this is the patient’s own home, a care facility, in-patient unit, hospital, and outpatient or day care service. This is one of the major advantages of palliative care. People requiring palliative care do not need to travel to a centre to receive their care.
Elements of hospice and palliative care
Hospice and palliative care is a patient focused family-centred approach and focuses on the needs of the individual. These are some of the elements that are included in hospice and palliative care:
Physical
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Assessment (including investigation), prevention and management of symptoms
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Clinical treatment activities
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Appropriate referral to other clinics/hospitals as may be required
Psychological
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Emotional support
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Assessment of psychological and emotional needs
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Counseling – individual, family, bereavement support
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Appropriate referral to other services as may be required
Social
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Identification of financial needs
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Poverty alleviation
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Food security
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Developing social support networks
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Identification and planning care for orphans and vulnerable children
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Appropriate referral to other services as may be required
Legal
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Identification of legal requirements
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Identification of human rights issues
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Referral to appropriate legal services
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Documentation of advance directives and patient preferences for care
Spiritual
For a detailed discussion of the definition of hospice and palliative care, read the WPCA definition paper
