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The Shore Regional Palliative Care program is offered on both an inpatient and outpatient basis.

Palliative Care (pronounced pal-lee-uh-tiv) is a medical specialty focused on preventing, treating and relieving pain and other debilitating effects of serious and chronic illnesses. Palliative care addresses the patient's physical needs along with his or her emotional, social and spiritual needs, and also those of the family and other loved ones. The aim of Palliative Care is to promote optimal health by helping individuals manage the progression of a disease with education, support, symptom management and restorative care.

With the goal of improving the quality of life for patients and families dealing with a condition that is chronic and/or advanced, palliative care provides education and support at any stage during an illness. Patients who benefit from palliative care are likely to be coping with illnesses such as:

  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
  • Congestive heart failure (CHF)
  • Liver disease
  • Kidney disease
  • Advanced dementia
  • Cancer
  • Parkinson's
  • Stroke
  • Sickle cell anemia

Palliative Care Focus

Palliative care focuses on the individual. Our goal is to help you carry on with your daily life. Palliative care can be provided at any stage of an illness and along with treatment meant to cure you. Care plans are individualized and differ depending on the needs and wishes of the patient, family members and loved ones. Based on your particular goals and the overall objective of improving his or her quality of life, a palliative care plan is designed to:

  • Integrate emotional, social and spiritual needs
  • Explain potential treatment options to ensure that the patient, family and loved ones have the information needed to determine goals
  • Provide relief from pain and other symptoms to reduce suffering
  • Support the patient and his or her family and loved ones in making the most appropriate decisions
  • Help the patient live as actively as possible
  • Prepare for the long term care needs of the patient and family
  • Assist with a smooth transition from the hospital to home, to another facility depending on the patient's care needs
  • Assure clear communication with other care providers
  • Assisting providers with complicated decision-making regarding therapies and treatments
  • Develop patient/family support

Palliative Care in the News

Watch this short video The Talbot Spy produced with Christina Ball, MS, AGACNP-BC, and Madeline Steffens, RN, BSN, CHPN, about Palliative Medicine and the critical support it offers patients who live with a chronic or life-limiting illness, as well as the support it offers their loved ones and caregivers.

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