Hospice or palliative care? Many people think they are one and the same, but that is not exactly accurate. Each type of care helps patients at specific times and may have different insurance coverage options. What is hospice? According to the National Institute on Aging, a division of the U.S. Department of Health & Human… Continue reading Hospice vs. Palliative Care: What’s Better for Your Loved One?
Tag: Palliative Care
Why We Owe Barbara Bush a Big Thank You for Our Health
Former first lady Barbara Bush died Tuesday evening, April 17, 2018. The mother of six was only the second woman in history to be a wife and mother of a U.S. president. She was 92-years-old. She was a major advocate for early and adult literacy, a passion that was fueled by tirelessly helping one of her… Continue reading Why We Owe Barbara Bush a Big Thank You for Our Health
A Better Way for Families to Care for the Dying
Although 70 percent of Americans die from chronic disease, most do not make their preferences for end of life care known to their families, leaving loved ones unprepared for their final days. Patients who wish to die at home and who can benefit from palliative or hospice care usually are referred too late – often… Continue reading A Better Way for Families to Care for the Dying
Who Makes Your Medical Decisions? How to Stay in Control with Palliative Care
Most emergency patients rely on physicians to tell them what to do. But if a patient says the following four words, the patient stays in charge: “I receive palliative care.” This compels physicians to listen to the patient first and order tests accordingly. Palliative care means “person-centered care.” Dr. Kevin Haselhorst wants patients to guard… Continue reading Who Makes Your Medical Decisions? How to Stay in Control with Palliative Care
Palliative Care and Heart-Failure Patients
Inpatient palliative care helped heart-failure patients to have a better quality of life, according to a trial conducted by researchers at Abbott Northwestern Hospital, part of the Allina Health system. As a result of those findings, bbott Northwestern conducted a new study, “A Description of Inpatient Palliative Care Actions for Patients with Acute Heart Failure,”… Continue reading Palliative Care and Heart-Failure Patients
Palliative Care in the ER for Seniors Could Reduce Admissions to the ICU
Applying palliative care principles to emergency departments may reduce the number of geriatric patients admitted to intensive care units, possibly extending lives and reducing Medicare costs, according to a three-year analysis by Mount Sinai researchers published online in the May edition of Health Affairs. A release from Mt. Sinai quotes Corita Grudzen, MD, the lead… Continue reading Palliative Care in the ER for Seniors Could Reduce Admissions to the ICU
Dying Patients Don’t Always Want a Longer Life
When it comes to end-of-life choices, patients with advanced cancer valued avoiding severe pain or dying at home over extending their life by one year or receiving high-quality health care, research has shown. Investigators from the Lien Centre for Palliative Care (LCPC) and collaborators from the National Cancer Centre Singapore, published their finding in the… Continue reading Dying Patients Don’t Always Want a Longer Life