Palliative Care
If you or a loved one has a serious or chronic illness, the pain and stress may be overwhelming. The Palliative Care team at Mary Greeley Medical Center offers options and help for both patients and their families.
Palliative care focuses on relieving the stress
and suffering of a serious or chronic illness.
Benefits of Palliative Care
The goal of the Palliative Care Program at Mary Greeley Medical Center is simple: Guide patients and families through the many challenges of living with a serious or chronic illness. This includes:
- helping you understand your illness
- assist with making decisions about which medical interventions are right for you
- emotional and spiritual support
- planning for the future
Unlike hospice care, patients who need palliative care may not have a terminal diagnosis. It can help anyone, at any age, and at any stage of illness.
A patient suffering from a debilitating illness or facing serious illness qualifies for the program, as does a patient who frequently finds themselves in the hospital. Anyone whose illness causes symptoms that are difficult to control may benefit from the program. Palliative care may be an option for patients who need help navigating the healthcare system.
Palliative care may be right for you if you're hospitalized with a serious or chronic life-limiting health condition and you:
- Visit the hospital or emergency room several times in the past few months for the same issue
- Want help making decisions, planning for your future or setting goals for your medical care
- Want to create an advanced directive, to document your health care wishes
Examples of illnesses that may benefit from palliative care include, but are not limited to:
- Cancer
- Emphysema/COPD
- Heart disease/heart failure
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Stroke
- Parkinson’s disease
- Kidney/liver failure
Learn More About Palliative Care
You may have more questions about how palliative care can help you or a loved one. Mary Greeley Medical Center is here to help. For more information on our Palliative Care Program, please e-mail palliativecare@mgmc.com or call the Palliative Care Referral Hotline at 515-956-2896.
