For women with breast cancer, palliative care is often overlooked. But it can be a powerful source of support, helping to ease symptoms and improve quality of life. So what is palliative care, really — and why is it something we should feel good about exploring?
What is palliative care?
Simply put, palliative care is care that people with cancer can receive as part of their treatment. While it does not focus on the treatment of cancer itself, it can be requested, and provide care, at any point during cancer treatment. It is usually offered during cancer diagnosis, but can be accepted at any time, including after treatments are completed. However, it’s best to utilize palliative care to treat symptoms and side effects as soon as possible.
The main focus of this type of care is to help alleviate pain, stress, and symptoms as much as possible. It also helps patients, and their caregivers, plan their care and address their individual needs. Having a care team means having people who are focused on your mental, emotional, and physical needs.
It’s also known as supportive car and comfort care, so don’t be alarmed if it’s referred to in this way.
Is palliative care different than hospice care?
In a sense, yes. While palliative care is also performed during hospice care, it’s a separate system. Palliative care focuses on treatments and aid that helps lengthens your life, while hospice care is utilized during end of life (or terminal illnesses where patients have a high risk of passing away within 6 months). So while both can be utilized at the same time, palliative care can also be part of treatments outside of hospice care.
Palliative care is mainly used to improve your quality of life, and manage your symptoms, pain, and side effects that you may be experiencing during other treatments. In many cases, it can also be helpful in addressing other needs too, like spiritual and emotional. Hospice care, on the other hand, focuses more on improving the quality of life for the time someone has left as well as giving them dignity and comfort in their last few months.
What are the benefits of palliative care?
There are many benefits of palliative care. Let’s talk about a few of them.
Physical Benefits
First, it helps make you more comfortable, especially if you’re experiencing quite a few symptoms from both the cancer and cancer treatments. When it comes to physical symptoms like pain or discomfort, lack of appetite, shortness of breath, and more, palliative can aid in easing these. Did you know that it has also been shown to extend the life of many cancer patients? That’s a huge benefit and reason to start as soon as you feel comfortable doing so.
Mental Benefits
Palliative care also focuses on your mental health. Professionals will work with you on helping alleviate as much anxiety, depression, and mental fatigue as they can. With this, they will focus on techniques like cognitive exercises, talk therapy, relaxation exercises, and more.
Care Benefits
Another benefit that many people don’t discuss is how palliative care helps your loved ones and caregivers (when applicable). Palliative care specialists focus on building a supportive network for you to help ease stress and strain of your caregivers and those who aid in your day to day. Not only do they connect you with community aid and support groups, but they can even provide family counseling and teach loved ones how to complete caregiving tasks without extra stress.
Finally, your care team can even connect you to legal and financial resources when needed. As with any serious illness, potential financial strain may be a stressor for patients. This is where the team comes in. They can aid in helping you understand the resources you have access to, plan where you can live during treatments, and connect you with legal resources to help you get your affairs in order should anything happen.
While there are many other benefits to palliative care, these are some of the most helpful according to many people who’ve utilized the service.
Are there different types of care?
Yes! There are many different types, but let’s discuss the main options.
First, there is oncologist-based palliative care. This is when your oncologist (also known as a cancer doctor) takes a lead in your comfort care. They’ll focus on both your cancer treatment and palliative care, focusing both on treating your cancer and making you as comfortable as possible in the process.
Another option is concurrent care. This means that you’d receive care from your oncologist during treatment, and have a separate palliative medicine specialist. However, both of these experts work together as a part of your care team. Their roles will be based on your specific needs and potential issues you may confront during treatment.
So, which is the best option for you? This will depend on you as an individual and what you expect out of your treatment and team. If you want a closer relationship with your oncologist, choosing one that also offers palliative care can be helpful. If you’d rather keep your treatment and palliative care separate (but still working together), choosing a specialist can be helpful.
How does it all work?
Now that you know more about what palliative care is, let’s talk about what it looks like when you decide to partake in it.
Patient Assessment
First, you’d have a patient assessment. Depending on which type of care you choose, your team (or oncologist) will sit down with you and your family (if applicable) and discuss a few things. This includes your current treatment plan, any symptoms you have, your level of function, your goals, and more. They may also speak with your family about they care they’re able to provide, their feelings and concerns, and any other medical issues that may run in the family.
Professional Assessment
After the initial chat you have with your team, the professional assessment will help you evaluate your ongoing care. This will include your care goals, see how your current issues can be resolved or aided, staffing for your care, training of loved ones, and of course, everyone’s (including your family or caregivers) coping abilities.
Keep in mind that while you will have an initial professional assessment, it will not be a one time thing. Because your treatment and care will change, so will your care. A big example for this is women who have early metastatic breast cancer. When diagnosed with this stage, your goal would most likely to prolong your life. So that means prioritizing your care. But as things progress, you’d want to focus more on your functions and comfort.
Where is palliative care provided?
Palliative care is usually provided in hospitals, nursing homes, and outpatient palliative care clinics. In some cases it can also be provided in your home. And luckily, most insurance policies, including Medicare and Medicaid, provide and cover palliative care. Of course, always be sure to talk to the professionals and your health insurance if you’re concerned about potential costs.
How does palliative care affect caregivers?
While we’ve talked about the direct benefits of palliative care on patients, it also helps caregivers in a few ways.
First, the team will let you know what you can expect with palliative care. You’ll also be encouraged to join the meetings that the team has with your loved one. During these meetings, you can get breakdowns of their care, how the illness is effecting them, and more. Then, you can help your loved one work towards their goals.
The care team is also there to help support you and your well-being. They can offer guidance to you on how to take care of your loved one, receive community resources, and help you care of your own physical and emotional health and well-being.
And don’t think your mental health isn’t just as important on this journey. Your loved could have feelings of frustration, stress, and even depression and anxiety due to their illness. And in many cases, caregivers feel the same way, but for different reasons. But that’s normal, and a care specialists will listen to both of you. When it comes to your focus, they will help you learn how to control small things that are within reach, like helping your loved one with certain treatments and care. They will also help you find a community of other caregivers that can help share support and a listening ear.
How to Receive Palliative Care
As we’ve talked about, anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer (including breast cancer) can receive palliative care. If it wasn’t mentioned to you during your initial diagnosis, you can ask about it at any time. Simply ask for a referral to a care specialist or team.
If there are none near you, you can also talk to a patient navigator or hospital social worker. They may be able to refer you to a community for support or find a specialist that you can see.
Breast Cancer and Palliative Care: Worth A Look
Hearing the words “Palliative Care” can feel frightening when you don’t fully understand what they mean. But palliative care can be incredibly beneficial for anyone who has been diagnosed and needs extra support. If you have cancer, don’t hesitate to talk to your healthcare team and request a referral if it hasn’t already been offered. Palliative care is there to ease your stress and help you feel more supported every step of the way.
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