Am I palliative? What does palliative mean?
The hardest thing for a patient to hear, and for a doctor, health care professional, family member or friend to say, is that you need palliative care. It marks a point in time in a person’s life where the focus of effort is quality of life in the face of a disease that cannot be cured.
It is necessary to hear this message so that you can make informed decisions about disease treatment, symptom management, end of life care and how you want to spend your time in the coming months.
Palliative means that regardless of the nature of your disease, you are coming into a phase of your illness and life where:
- The progression of your disease is such that you have only months and weeks to live. Although hard to predict, your doctor will try to help you understand what time you might have. By way of example, most Palliative Care Program and Benefit referrals are made by your doctor in the last six months of life.
- When no more disease-curing treatment is being given. Some therapies, for example some chemotherapy, or new drugs for serious heart or kidney disease are palliative, they give you more time, but do not reverse the disease process. They may be given alongside palliative care that is directed at symptom management. Treatment does not necessarily stop for palliative care to begin. Overlap is common, and one leads into the other. Good communication with your doctor will help you understand where you are on this spectrum.
- When you have been advised to "put your affairs in order". Depending on your circumstances, this means any of the following: organizing your finances, a Health Care Directive, a Power of Attorney, a will, and/or arranging what you would want at end of life whenever it comes. It takes courage and honesty to deal with this step, but once done it is a great relief, and allows you to focus on meaningful time spent with your family and friends.
The Role of Palliative Care: The primary purpose of palliative care is to ensure the remainder of your life is dignified and as comfortable as possible.
