A person and his family are faced with a deadly, disappointing diagnosis need support from the outside, as it is very difficult to cope with the problems that have fallen on their own. Palliative care is provided to people with serious illnesses to the terminal stage, often - this is oncology.
Palliative care - what is it?
Palliative care is actions and a set of measures designed to improve the quality of life of seriously ill people and ensure a decent withdrawal from life. The word "palliative" from lat. "Veil, cloak" - speaks of a kind of caring approach, which surrounds the patient in special institutions or at home. Relatives are also offered the necessary psychological help, because often they need it no less than a patient.
Concept and principles of palliative care
Modern palliative care originates from ancient times, when wounded and dying nursed various sister and monastic shelters, easing the sufferings of the sick with broths of herbs, prayer and a kind word. The concept of palliative care today includes a diverse approach and cooperation of various specialists: doctors, psychologists, nurses, carers. In connection with the incurability of the disease, the cause of the disease is not eliminated, but a careful, human-worthy existence and care is provided.
Principles of palliative care adopted and practiced by the World Health Organization:
- relief of physical suffering (relief of pain attacks at the initial stage by analgesics, in terminal - with narcotic drugs);
- maintaining the patient's activity at the level that is possible for him at the moment;
- psychological support of relatives;
- a combination of chemotherapy and surgical methods, if this can prolong life;
- work with the patient's family, explaining and teaching the necessary hygiene procedures;
- psychological preparation of the patient to accept his own demise, as to the natural final stage of life.
Who is receiving palliative care?
Palliative care is designed for any social strata of the population and is provided free of charge as part of the social state program. Indications for palliative care:
- severe injuries, as a result of which a person irreversibly lost many functions of life and is not able to take care of himself;
- degenerative diseases of the joints, vessels and nervous system in advanced stages;
- dementia (senile dementia);
- oncological diseases during the period of deterioration and in terminal stages;
- severe irreversible renal failure ;
- AIDS.
How to get palliative care?
Where can I go for palliative care if I need it? In each city there are medical and social services, which you can find out from telephone directories and your doctor:
- hospices (on a free and paid basis);
- palliative care in hospitals;
- cabinets of analgesic therapy;
- outpatient medical palliative care.
In order to obtain palliative care, the following points are important:
- direction with an extract from the medical diagnosis card with confirmation by the seal of the head of the department;
- results of a study and recommendations for treatment from a treating therapist or oncologist.
Palliative care - literature
What is palliative care for people can be found by reading the following books:
- "Palliative care for cancer patients" Irene Salmon . The textbook will be useful for beginners working in hospice to doctors, nurses.
- "On death and dying" E.O. Kubler-Ross . Stages of preparation for death, through which a person passes, beginning with a negative, coming to humility.
- "Psychology and psychotherapy of loss" Gnezdilov . The book discusses the problems of palliative medicine, approaches, medical control and the needs of a dying person.
- "It is worth living the last days" by D. Kesli . The dying person needs easy care, without pain - about humanity to the sick person.
- "Hospices" is a collection of materials published by the Charitable Foundation "Vera". Social project with recommendations and descriptions of the work of hospices.