We may have heard it said, in that familiar hushed and somber tone, something along the lines of, “They’re having palliative care now.” It’s almost as if the meaning of those words is so universally understood they need no further explanation. Most people simply assume it means the person is now dying.
Yet, when a health professional suggests palliative care might be a useful addition to a patient’s care, they most likely mean something different.
Myth 1: It’s Just Nursing Care
From its inception, palliative care has definitely always involved nurses. But by today’s standards, there is much more to it than, for example, a nurse assisting a patient with showering.Myth 3: It’s a Place to Wait for Death
Palliative care does provide care for those at the end of life who may prefer to receive care or have needs best attended to in a hospital or at a hospice. However, it is not just about end-of-life care.Myth 5: It Means Depending on Others
The principal goal of palliative care is actually the opposite of dependency. It aims to support a person to maintain their independence and quality of life while living with serious illness.These studies, mostly conducted with people recently diagnosed with a serious form of cancer, compare the outcomes of people randomly allocated to receive either just best-practice care or best-practice care with palliative care.
So next time we hear that a friend is receiving palliative care, we should also think of the possibilities and accomplishments they may achieve, and high-quality care they may receive.