Central Maine Comprehensive Cancer Center

Palliative Care

Palliative Care

Who does the palliative care team serve?

• Patients with chronic illnesses or conditions that affect daily living
  
• Patients with illnesses that may be successfully treated, but survivorship will result in a poor quality of life.
  
• Terminally ill patients. 
  
• Some examples might be:
  
  • Advanced heart and lung disease
    
  • Cancer
    
  • Stroke
    
  • Dementia
    
  • Trauma resulting in severe disability
    
  • ALS and other neurodegenerative disorders
    
  • Kidney disease

What can you expect from the palliative care team?

• Relief of pain and other distressing symptoms
  
• A coordinated approach to addressing all types of suffering, including physical, emotional, and spiritual
  
• Open discussions about treatment choices, including treatment of your disease and management of your symptoms
  
• Support to improve the quality of your life
  
• Involvement at any time during your illness, working together with other treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation
  
• A celebration of life, while also regarding dying as a normal process when that time comes
  
• Advocacy for you, with a focus on communication and education
  
• Partnership with your physician to provide coordinated care
  

In summary, you may wish to request palliative care if you or your loved one:

1. Suffers from pain or other symptoms due to any serious illness
   
2. Experiences physical, emotional or spiritual suffering that is not under control
   
3. Needs help understanding your situation and coordinating your care

Palliative care team members

• Palliative care nurse practitioner
  
• Palliative care physician
  
• Chaplain
  
• Social worker