Lovely essay, however I take issue with your definistion of ‘palliative care’. Palliative care focus is on aggressive symptom management. It is not a limited focus on death and dying…that is hospice care. Palliative care is needed in all aspects of medical care to help a person live to the fullest in that moment where ever they are in their chronic health condition…that may be at the end of life, but it may also be at the beginning of the diagnostic process. We need to recognize palliative care as the essence of caring and vital to living
Perhaps this is a difference of place? This is the NIH discussion, and palliative care, understood as to treat suffering, would include dying—but not be limited to that phase in the human condition
Lovely essay, however I take issue with your definistion of ‘palliative care’. Palliative care focus is on aggressive symptom management. It is not a limited focus on death and dying…that is hospice care. Palliative care is needed in all aspects of medical care to help a person live to the fullest in that moment where ever they are in their chronic health condition…that may be at the end of life, but it may also be at the beginning of the diagnostic process. We need to recognize palliative care as the essence of caring and vital to living
Thank you, Katen. I've included this link to the Compassionate Communities website to better explain the services they offer and their focus http://www.compassionatecommunities.net.au/#compassionate-communities
It is actually Dr. Macdonald who talks of palliative care as having a focus on death and dying : https://www.mcgill.ca/ihse/article/supporting-those-grieving-requires-literacy-scholar-suggests
Perhaps this is a difference of place? This is the NIH discussion, and palliative care, understood as to treat suffering, would include dying—but not be limited to that phase in the human condition
https://www.ninr.nih.gov/newsandinformation/what-is-palliative-care
Perhaps this is because I see palliation as integral to nursing and I am a nurse…?
Katen