LEWISBURG — When diagnosed with a serious, life threatening or life limiting illness, patients are given medical treatment to extend their life, but what quality of life do these patients have when dealing with these illnesses? That’s where palliative care comes into play. Palliative medicine is care that focuses on controlling and relieving the symptoms of stress associated with an a serious illness.
Dr. Kathryn Giorgini, Director of Palliative Care at Evangelical Community Hospital spoke about what palliative medicine does for patients, “We see the patients and we do a lot of medical management, prescribe medications, and also refer to different people that can help. Sometimes they need extra therapy, and then there are other measures like acupuncture, things that work for some people that don’t always work for others. We try to think out of the box and get them as much support for both them and their families as possible.”
Patients with COPD, lung disease, congestive heart failure, dementia, and other chronic conditions have the opportunity for palliative care. Although specialists in palliative care are not brought in until the later stages of these illnesses, it does differ from hospice care says Dr. Giorgini, “Hospice care you truly have to be terminal and have a prognosis of only 6 months or less. For palliative we can be following along throughout the disease and patients can be getting disease directed therapy and we can follow along with them and help them with their symptoms and planning.”
If you or a loved one is living with a serious illness palliative care can address your physical, emotional and spiritual needs. You can hear more from Dr. Kathryn Giorgini about palliative medicine at wkok.com. (Sarah Benek)
