Palliative care is designed to support the unique needs of those with serious medical conditions. This multifaceted form of care can complement standard medical treatments and help individuals achieve a better quality of life.
Sadly, many people misunderstand palliative care and may even hold a negative view based on those misconceptions. A survey of thousands of U.S. adults found that just 12.6% accurately understood palliative care.
Learn about the reality of palliative care and how it stands in stark contrast to common myths.
Reason 1: They associate palliative care with the end of life.
If you ask someone why they dislike palliative care, they’re likely to reference the myth that receiving palliative care is akin to giving up or accepting that death is just around the corner. Among those who claim to know what palliative care is, 44.4% automatically think of death and 38.0% equate it with hospice care.
In reality, palliative care is not associated with end-of-life care; it can support individuals at any stage of illness. Even if a condition does not affect a person’s life expectancy, they can still receive specialized care to help them manage health challenges and enjoy life to the fullest. Another distinction between hospice and palliative care is that individuals can receive palliative care alongside curative treatments.
Does electing to receive care equate to giving up or accepting that you’re entering life’s final stage? Absolutely not. Palliative care can help a person dealing with a serious medical condition improve their life and possibly even prolong it.
Reason 2: They limit the scope of palliative care to physical comfort.
Even if they don’t view palliative care negatively, some people nonetheless misunderstand the full scope of its value, limiting palliative care’s usefulness to pain management. Enhancing a person’s physical comfort is an important part of palliative care, but it’s not the sole focus.
Serious illnesses often cause challenges beyond physical symptoms. For example, a person may struggle with adjusting to certain limitations, social isolation, or life changes. Coordinating the various aspects of their treatment and care can also cause stress. Overall, research shows a significant relationship between chronic health conditions and mental health concerns.
Palliative care providers understand the breadth of ways serious illness impacts a person and take a holistic approach to supporting their total well-being. In addition to prioritizing a person’s physical comfort, palliative care teams also strive to meet a person’s emotional, spiritual, and social needs. Specialists across different fields work with the patient and their family to address all the areas that matter to them.
Reason 3: They’ve never learned about the benefits of palliative care.
One of the greatest deterrents to taking advantage of palliative care is simply a lack of understanding about this service. The World Health Organization notes that palliative care is extremely underutilized by those who could benefit from it.
Palliative care offers valuable benefits to recipients and their caregivers and loved ones, including:
- Care coordination
- Symptom management
- Emotional and psychological support
- Spiritual care
- Social support
- Health education
- Assistance with care plans and advanced care planning (ACP)
Overall, palliative care can improve a person’s well-being and quality of life and help them feel a greater sense of optimism and empowerment rather than feeling controlled by their illness.
Embrace the benefits of palliative care.
Search online for why palliative care is bad or ask a random sampling of your friends, and you’re likely to encounter some misconceptions about this form of care. Whether people associate it with the end of life, limit its scope to symptom management, or simply don’t understand the benefits, they can easily miss out on a valuable form of specialized care.
The truth is that palliative care offers those with a wide range of health conditions a means to manage and overcome challenges and improve their outlook and quality of life. Learn more about palliative care in our complete guide.
