One of the most difficult things for any individual or family to go through is to handle a diagnosis of a terminal illness. Apart from grappling with the certainty of facing death, there are also a myriad of problems that the affected individual has to grapple with. Palliation seeks to consider a patient as a whole rather than simply focusing on their diagnosis. If they intend to get palliative care in Tulsa patients should first understand a number of things on this treatment.
Terminal illnesses are so called because they have no known cure. However, a number of interventions can be undertaken to minimize the side effects related to the illness. Such side effects could be physical, emotional, spiritual, social or psychological. This treatment can be provided either in the hospital or at home depending on the how severe the condition is. Patients may also have a say on where they deem best to receive the treatment.
One of the commonest groups of diseases that requires this kind of care is cancer. Most malignant metastatic cancers are incurable. It is only humane that patients that have been diagnosed with these kinds of cancers receive proper end of life care even in their last days of life. Traumatic brain injury, chronic liver failure and end stage HIV/AIDS may also be considered for palliative services.
Due to the wide nature of services requires, teamwork is important. A multidisciplinary team comprising of various specialists is usually assembled depending on the underlying diagnosis. Each of these specialists has been trained and certified and is skilled in handling patients who fall in this category. Typically, the team is headed by a physician who helps in coordinating the other service providers. Other members may include other doctors, nurses, chaplains, dieticians and social workers among others.
Emotional needs are also very important and should also be addressed with the same vigour as physical needs. Some of the commonest emotional problems patient may have to deal with are anxiety, depression and psychological stress. The severity of the condition will vary from one patient to another and so the management is also individualized. It is important that emotional support be initiated as soon as a diagnosis has been made.
Physical needs are arguably the most pressing for a patient on palliation. They mainly include signs and symptoms related to the condition. The most common among these are pain, nausea, shortness of breath and vomiting. Every effort should be made to make the patient free of these symptoms. When managing pain, for instance, the strongest effective drug should be used regardless of whether or not It is addictive.
Relatives also need to receive special care. They are, in most instances, greatly affected by the sickness of their loved one. It is important that their emotional and psychological needs are addressed alongside those of the patient. While some relatives may find it easy to accept the certainty of death, others struggle to come to terms with the reality and would require counselling during the illness and even after.
Relatives or caregivers can easily be forgotten while addressing the needs of the patient. They too, are affected to a great extent. Psychological stress is quite common among these relatives and some of them also show various degrees of depression. While some relatives may find it easy to accept the inevitable, others struggle a lot and need to be counselled throughout.
Terminal illnesses are so called because they have no known cure. However, a number of interventions can be undertaken to minimize the side effects related to the illness. Such side effects could be physical, emotional, spiritual, social or psychological. This treatment can be provided either in the hospital or at home depending on the how severe the condition is. Patients may also have a say on where they deem best to receive the treatment.
One of the commonest groups of diseases that requires this kind of care is cancer. Most malignant metastatic cancers are incurable. It is only humane that patients that have been diagnosed with these kinds of cancers receive proper end of life care even in their last days of life. Traumatic brain injury, chronic liver failure and end stage HIV/AIDS may also be considered for palliative services.
Due to the wide nature of services requires, teamwork is important. A multidisciplinary team comprising of various specialists is usually assembled depending on the underlying diagnosis. Each of these specialists has been trained and certified and is skilled in handling patients who fall in this category. Typically, the team is headed by a physician who helps in coordinating the other service providers. Other members may include other doctors, nurses, chaplains, dieticians and social workers among others.
Emotional needs are also very important and should also be addressed with the same vigour as physical needs. Some of the commonest emotional problems patient may have to deal with are anxiety, depression and psychological stress. The severity of the condition will vary from one patient to another and so the management is also individualized. It is important that emotional support be initiated as soon as a diagnosis has been made.
Physical needs are arguably the most pressing for a patient on palliation. They mainly include signs and symptoms related to the condition. The most common among these are pain, nausea, shortness of breath and vomiting. Every effort should be made to make the patient free of these symptoms. When managing pain, for instance, the strongest effective drug should be used regardless of whether or not It is addictive.
Relatives also need to receive special care. They are, in most instances, greatly affected by the sickness of their loved one. It is important that their emotional and psychological needs are addressed alongside those of the patient. While some relatives may find it easy to accept the certainty of death, others struggle to come to terms with the reality and would require counselling during the illness and even after.
Relatives or caregivers can easily be forgotten while addressing the needs of the patient. They too, are affected to a great extent. Psychological stress is quite common among these relatives and some of them also show various degrees of depression. While some relatives may find it easy to accept the inevitable, others struggle a lot and need to be counselled throughout.
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You can find a summary of the factors that determine the cost of palliative care in Tulsa at http://www.millerhospicetulsa.com right now.
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