Palliative care for all ….. Really?

Abstract

I have a friend, who, alongside her family, struggled with her father’s illness for over two years. He travelled a slow and difficult road towards the end of his life. He was diagnosed with a chronic respiratory illness a few years ago, with a life expectancy of six months. The mainstay of their support was the family GP and infrequent visits to the Consultant. When palliative care was suggested by a friend, as a support, their response was ‘but he hasn’t got cancer’. After a little encouragement and a speedy referral, the local community palliative care team came into their home and he and his family’s journey became a more peaceful and managed one. Their journey was transformed, not because palliative care services altered his diagnosis in any way, but because they supported the patient and his family in dealing with the present and immediate future. Palliative care services assisted ...