Insights from The Orlando Senior Help Desk: Palliative care

Palliative care is specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness. This type of care is focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of the illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family.

Palliative care is provided by a specially-trained team of doctors, nurses and other specialists who work together with a patient's other doctors to provide an extra layer of support. Palliative care is based on the needs of the patient, not on the patient's prognosis. It is appropriate at any age or any stage in a serious illness. It can be provided along with curative treatment. Palliative care teams focus on quality of life. They treat people suffering from the symptoms such as pain, depression, shortness of breath, fatigue, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping, and anxiety. They may also treat serious illnesses such as end stage cancer, congestive heart failure, COPD, severe kidney disease, ALS etc.

Some studies, have shown that patients with a serious illness who received palliative care live longer than those who did not receive this care. Palliative care teams are specialists who work together with you, your family and your other doctors. They provide an extra layer of support when you need it most. In addition to treating your symptoms and stress and supporting you and your family, the palliative care team communicates with all of your doctors so that everyone is on the same page Search the Palliative Care Directory https://getpalliativecare.org/howtoget/find-a-palliative-care-team/

While most seniors face major adjustments when transitioning to an elder-care community, Jewish seniors face additional challenges. Not only do they lose their homes, and many of their friends, but they also lose ties to their cultural heritage. This is where the Jewish Pavilion, a 501c3 non-profit, steps in. The Pavilion serves as a resource that provides room visits, festive holiday celebrations, and more to 450 Jewish residents in fifty facilities for seniors. The Jewish Pavilion promotes inclusion, and thousands of seniors of all faiths are welcomed into our programs. http://www.JewishPavilion.org.

The Orlando Senior Help Desk (407-678-9363) helps thousands of callers navigate their way through the daunting senior maze, alleviating caregiver stress while giving advice on all types of elder issues. http://www.OrlandoSeniorHelpDesk.org.