Palliative Care
Palliative Care is health care for individuals of any age who have a chronic, life-limiting illness. The goal of Palliative Care is to ease pain and symptoms and provide support and information to patients and their loved ones. The Lower Cape Fear Hospice & LifeCareCenter Palliative Care team works with a patient’s physician to determine the best medical plan of care.
At this time, the Palliative Care team serves patients in New Hanover and Pender counties at three hospitals and in contracted nursing homes. Patients are also served in their homes throughout New Hanover County and most of Pender County. The plan is to develop programs in additional hospitals and nursing homes throughout the organization’s five-county service area.
Palliative Care addresses each patient’s unique medical, emotional and spiritual needs. It offers support to patients and their caregivers. Palliative Care encourages discussion between patients, families and health care professionals in determining the patient’s goals and medical plan of care. As a patient’s disease progresses, the Palliative Care team adjusts its support services to the patient and family as their needs change. Palliative Care makes a better quality of life possible for patients and their loved ones by providing the best possible quality of care.
Patients with chronic, long-term or life-limiting illnesses are appropriate for Palliative Care. Palliative Care is available to individuals to help with pain management, relief of suffering and education on their disease progression and prognosis. Family members are included in the plan of care, and the Palliative Care team provides support and information to them as well as the patient.
The Palliative Care team is an interdisciplinary group of professionals who provide physical, emotional and spiritual care to patients as needed to assist the patient’s physician. The team includes physicians, advanced practice nurses, and other team members as needed.
Anyone can call the Palliative Care team at 800.207.6908 or 800.379.4880 for information or to make a referral to receive Palliative Care. The Palliative Care physician and advanced practice nurse will meet with the patient. They will determine the goals of care with the patient and family and the patient’s physician and decide which other team members are needed.
Medicare and most private insurance companies can be billed for Palliative Care consultations.
The Palliative Care team can be called to assist with physical, emotional, and social needs. Support is available to patients and their family members.
Physical Needs – Symptom Management and Relief of Suffering
- Pain
- Nausea and vomiting, constipation, loss of appetite
- Breathing difficulties
- Tiredness
- Anxiety, depression, mental confusion
Emotional Needs
- Coping – offer emotional support to patient and family, including anticipatory grief and bereavement counseling
- Communication – discuss the course of disease and goals of care
- Goal-setting – establish the best possible quality of care as determined by patient and family
- Caregiver burnout
- Spiritual concerns
- Financial concerns
- Treatment options - discuss specific treatment and/or diagnostic treatments
- Advanced directives - explain options and assist with living will and health care power of attorney forms
- End-of-life decisions
Social Needs
- Job loss
- Role Reversal
- Facilitate transition to alternate care settings, such as home, nursing home, or hospice when appropriate
Palliative Care Q&A
Palliative Care Patient Referral and Information
800.207.6908
800.379.4880
910.796.7903 fax
Palliative Care
Palliative Care is health care for individuals of any age who have a chronic, life-limiting illness. The goal of Palliative Care is to ease pain and symptoms and provide support and information to patients and their loved ones. The Lower Cape Fear Hospice & LifeCareCenter Palliative Care team works with a patient’s physician to determine the best medical plan of care.
At this time, the Palliative Care team serves patients in New Hanover and Pender counties at three hospitals and in contracted nursing homes. Patients are also served in their homes throughout New Hanover County and most of Pender County. The plan is to develop programs in additional hospitals and nursing homes throughout the organization’s five-county service area.
Palliative Care addresses each patient’s unique medical, emotional and spiritual needs. It offers support to patients and their caregivers. Palliative Care encourages discussion between patients, families and health care professionals in determining the patient’s goals and medical plan of care. As a patient’s disease progresses, the Palliative Care team adjusts its support services to the patient and family as their needs change. Palliative Care makes a better quality of life possible for patients and their loved ones by providing the best possible quality of care.
Patients with chronic, long-term or life-limiting illnesses are appropriate for Palliative Care. Palliative Care is available to individuals to help with pain management, relief of suffering and education on their disease progression and prognosis. Family members are included in the plan of care, and the Palliative Care team provides support and information to them as well as the patient.
The Palliative Care team is an interdisciplinary group of professionals who provide physical, emotional and spiritual care to patients as needed to assist the patient’s physician. The team includes physicians, advanced practice nurses, and other team members as needed.
Anyone can call the Palliative Care team at 800.207.6908 or 800.379.4880 for information or to make a referral to receive Palliative Care. The Palliative Care physician and advanced practice nurse will meet with the patient. They will determine the goals of care with the patient and family and the patient’s physician and decide which other team members are needed.
Medicare and most private insurance companies can be billed for Palliative Care consultations.
The Palliative Care team can be called to assist with physical, emotional, and social needs. Support is available to patients and their family members.
Physical Needs – Symptom Management and Relief of Suffering
- Pain
- Nausea and vomiting, constipation, loss of appetite
- Breathing difficulties
- Tiredness
- Anxiety, depression, mental confusion
Emotional Needs
- Coping – offer emotional support to patient and family, including anticipatory grief and bereavement counseling
- Communication – discuss the course of disease and goals of care
- Goal-setting – establish the best possible quality of care as determined by patient and family
- Caregiver burnout
- Spiritual concerns
- Financial concerns
- Treatment options - discuss specific treatment and/or diagnostic treatments
- Advanced directives - explain options and assist with living will and health care power of attorney forms
- End-of-life decisions
Social Needs
- Job loss
- Role Reversal
- Facilitate transition to alternate care settings, such as home, nursing home, or hospice when appropriate
Palliative Care Q&A
Palliative Care Patient Referral and Information
800.207.6908
800.379.4880
910.796.7903 fax