This National Hospice Palliative Care week we are discussing the What, When, and Where of palliative care.

Talking about palliative care can be hard, but it doesn’t have to be complicated!

 

What is Palliative Care?

Palliative care improves the quality of life and reduces suffering for people with live-limiting illness. – Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association

The focus of palliative care is on meeting your unique needs. It is more than a specialized type of health care, palliative care is whole-person care. We encourage everyone to take some time to consider your goals, your values, and what is important to you and your loved ones through Advance Care Planning.

Palliative care understands that life-limiting illnesses can affect many parts of your life, providing support for not just your health but for your general well-being and daily need. Life-limiting illness can affect more than just the person who is sick. Supports are also available for friends, family, and caregivers through resources, specialized care personnel, and grief resources.

Access to palliative care can be given at home, in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and in hospices.

 

When should I think about Palliative Care?

Palliative care is whole-person care, for any stage of illness. It helps you to live as well as you can throughout your illness. The earlier you receive palliative care, the more it can help you. – Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association

It is never too early to consider your future health needs, by having conversations with your friends and family you can create an Advance Care Plan that is tailored to your needs.

If you are wondering whether or not it is too early for palliative care, consider that it is not based on a stage of illness – nor a prognosis. If you need extra help in dealing with the effects of your illness, palliative care could be right for you. Many find that receiving care as soon as they find out they are sick can be extremely helpful. However, palliative care is especially helpful when someone is in the last year or months of their life. When someone has stopped receiving treatment to cure their illness, end-of-life palliative care can provide supports through the transition.

 

Where can I find Palliative Care?

Palliative care can be provided anywhere. Many health care providers can offer a palliative approach to your care. – Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association

Palliative care meets individual care needs by offering avenues to support that focus on your comfort. You can access care in your home, community, hospice, hospital or long-term care facility. It is important to have the conversation about supports with your health care provider as well as your family or community support.

When you enter palliative care you can receive care in a variety of ways, not all of them requiring a specialist palliative care team. Palliative care can include visiting hospice volunteers, peer support groups, and community based programming.

 

Discover more about Palliative Care

• Download these easy to read pdfs explaining the What, When, and Where of Palliative Care:
  What is palliative care?
  When should I think about palliative care?
  Where can I find palliative care?
• Check out the Caregiving and Palliative Care Resource List
• Create an Advance Care Plan

National Hospice Palliative Care Week runs from May 4 – May 10, 2025.