Seniors May Find Relief from Pain, Distress of
Illness in Free Palliative Care Brochure
Online publication from National Institute of Nursing
Research also addresses misconceptions senior citizens may have about
palliative care
Nov. 20, 2009 The pain and distress that too many
senior citizens battle when afflicted with serious illness can be
managed with palliative care. A free new brochure from the National
Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) describes the comprehensive
treatment that helps reduce or eliminate the pain and other distressing
symptoms of illness or medical treatments.
"Palliative Care: The Relief You Need When Youre
Experiencing the Symptoms of Serious Illness," produced by the NINR, a
component of the National Institutes of Health, explains in
easy-to-understand language what palliative care is, who it benefits,
and how it works.
The brochure also addresses certain misconceptions
about palliative care, such as that it is only for the dying. Although
often seen as an end-of-life protocol, "palliative care provides relief
to patients dealing with chronic illnesses as well, including AIDS,
cystic fibrosis, and diseases of the heart, lungs, and kidneys," noted
Dr. Patricia A. Grady, NINR director.
Patients can request and receive palliative care
during a hospital stay, where it is delivered in tandem with therapies
meant to contain or cure illness, or in settings such as hospice, where
such therapies cease but the need for comfort continues for those who
are near the end of life.
Although the primary purpose of palliative care is
to reduce pain and distressing symptoms, research has discovered it
offers other benefits as well, including improvements in
patient-provider communication, emotional support, and satisfaction with
overall care.
"As the lead NIH institute for end-of-life science,
NINR supports research that helps develop the evidence base for
palliative care, which not only relieves pain and suffering, but also
provides critical emotional support to family members who are faced with
difficult end-of-life decisions while grappling with the impending loss
of a loved one," said Dr. Grady.
The brochure also highlights:
● how to decide if someone needs palliative care,
● how to ask a health care provider for
palliative care,
● how palliative care differs from hospice care,
● what kind of specialists participate on a
palliative care team, and
● insurance coverage for palliative care
treatment.
NINR developed the brochure to increase awareness
of palliative care among patient and caregiving populations, the general
public, the media, and care providers.
"Our goal is to increase the number of
provider-patient conversations about palliative care resources, so that
fewer patients suffer needlessly from pain and distressing symptoms,"
said Dr. Grady.
The brochure is available online in pdf format
Click Here. For more information about the brochure and other NINR
materials, visit
www.ninr.nih.gov or call 301-496-0207.
NINR supports basic and clinical research that
develops the knowledge to build the scientific foundation for clinical
practice, prevent disease and disability, manage and eliminate symptoms
caused by illness, and enhance end-of-life and palliative care. For more
information about NINR, visit the Web site at
www.ninr.nih.gov.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) The
Nation's Medical Research Agency includes 27 Institutes and Centers
and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
It is the primary federal agency for conducting and supporting basic,
clinical and translational medical research, and it investigates the
causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For
more information about NIH and its programs, visit
www.nih.gov.
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Keep up with the latest news for senior citizens, baby
boomers
Nov. 20, 2009 The pain and distress that too many
senior citizens battle when afflicted with serious illness can be
managed with palliative care. A free new brochure from the National
Institute of Nursing Research (NINR) describes the comprehensive
treatment that helps reduce or eliminate the pain and other distressing
symptoms of illness or medical treatments.
