Palliative care can be introduced at any stage of a serious illness, not just at the end of life. The goal is to improve comfort, support decision-making, and enhance quality of life alongside curative or life-prolonging treatments.
Signs Your Patient May Need Palliative Care
- Frequent hospital or ER use
- Difficulty with basic activities (bathing, dressing, walking)
- Significant weight loss or frailty
- Complex decision-making needs
- Progressive or advanced illness (common conditions)
- Poor symptom control (persistent pain, nausea, fatigue)
- Treatments causing more harm than benefit
- Declining cognitive status
Palliative care also addresses the emotional, psychological, and social impacts of illness, improving overall quality of life regardless of the disease stage. With palliative care, you continue as the patient’s primary care provider with the HIA Palliative nurse practitioner providing home-based care, collaborating with you and other specialists as needed.