What is Palliative (comfort) Care?

Palliative Care is comfort care.

Perhaps you or someone you love is facing an illness that cannot be cured. Few of us are really ready for the hard choices that may have to be made at the end of life. It can be hard for everyone involved-- the dying person, their family and loved ones, and health care providers, too.

But there are ways to ease pain and make life better for people who are dying and for their loved ones. It is called palliative care.

Palliative care means taking care of the whole person -- body, mind, and spirit. This care is provided by a team of caregivers -- physician, nurse, social worker, clergy, volunteer, patient, family and others.

Palliative care accepts dying as something natural and personal. Those who are the best providers of care at the end of life understand that this time of life -- like all other times -- can have important times of growth, peace and joy.

The goal of palliative care is to help you have the best quality of life possible-- every day.

The LIFE Project partners believe that all health care providers should know how to give good palliative care or to help you find someone who can.

LIFE Project partners want Kansans to know about palliative care and to expect quality care from health care providers. The LIFE Project wants the Five Principles of Palliative Care to describe the kind of care we hope all Kansans receive.

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