Palliative Care
Beneficial at any stage of a serious illness, palliative care is an interdisciplinary care delivery system designed to anticipate, prevent and manage physical, psychological, social and spiritual suffering to optimize quality of life for patient, their families and caregivers. Palliative Care can be delivered in any care setting through the collaboration of many types of care providers
Through early integration into the care plan of seriously ill people, palliative care improves quality of life for both the patient and family.
National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care
If you or your loved one is diagnosed with a chronic, serious or terminal illness, you probably feel overwhelmed. The palliative care team at Providence Redwood Memorial Hospital understands how emotionally, physically and spiritually draining living with such a condition can be.
We serve as your trusted partner and help you navigate your medical treatment as well as providing relief from symptoms. We give you and your family the support you need.
Palliative care provides specialized medical care when you are diagnosed with a serious or life-threatening condition. Whatever your diagnosis, our palliative care specialists work to alleviate your pain, stress, symptoms and treatment side effects.
From your diagnosis through recovery or bereavement, you are never alone at Providence Redwood Memorial Hospital. Our palliative care team helps you and your family make informed decisions every step of the way.
If family is unable to be with you, we provide compassionate companions. We also offer reassuring treatment to dying patients who would otherwise be alone in their final moments.
Our palliative care services complement your medical treatments and surround you with a web of emotional, mental, physical, social and spiritual support.
Our services include:
- Arranging for emotional and spiritual support from certified counselors
- Discussing the pros and cons associated with treatment and providing multiple treatment options for you and your family to choose from
- Educating you and your family throughout every stage of disease development and medical treatment
- Helping you and your family plan ahead with advanced medical directives to ensure your final wishes are honored
- Managing your pain, symptoms and other issues related to your condition
- Providing respite care so your family or caregivers can take a break
- Providing specialized services including physical therapy, speech therapy and other inpatient services
The palliative care team includes specialists in palliative medicine, such as:
- Advance directive specialists
- Behavioral health providers
- Chaplain
- Doctors
- Nurse practitioners
- Nurses
- Social workers
You, your family or your doctor can ask for a palliative care consultation. Call 707-725-3361 to make an appointment.
Reasons to request palliative care include:
- Assistance with complex symptom management
- Care of complex, severely ill patients over time; these include patients with a new serious diagnosis, or frequent readmissions for same diagnosis
- Assistance with medical decision making and determining goals of care
- Questions regarding Advanced Care Planning, POLST forms and other future planning needs
Your consultation will include:
- An assessment of your care goals
- Symptom management for concerns such as anxiety, constipation, fatigue, insomnia, pain, nausea and trouble breathing