Redefining Palliative Care

Palliative care and end-of-life care are terms often used interchangeably in the medical field. In cancer care, palliative care was historically provided at hospices for patients with a bleak prognosis in an effort to make their last days comfortable and pain-free. As a result, palliative care was defined as being end-of-life care, provided for people who were not receiving treatment to actively treat their disease. As new research and treatment for cancer emerges, the role of palliative care has evolved.

Today, palliative care plays an important role not only in end-of-life care, but throughout a patient’s care journey. Recent studies show that palliative care offered to patients earlier on in their cancer journey can significantly improve quality of life during active treatment and can increase survival rates. Hospice care, or end-of-life care, is a type of palliative care but the two are not mutually exclusive. It’s more than providing comfort at the end of a person’s life. Palliative care, as defined by the Canadian Hospice/Palliative Care Association, “is aimed at relief of suffering and improving the quality of life for persons who are living with or dying from advanced illness or is bereaved.” Focusing on a broad range of physical and psychological impacts from cancer, it can include: pain and symptom management, caregiver support, psychological, cultural, emotional and spiritual support, for patients as well as family members.

“Many aspects of palliative care are applicable earlier in the course of a disease,” says Dr. Anita Singh, Regional Palliative Care Lead. “Palliative care can, and often should, be provided alongside a person’s treatment – whether that be at the beginning of a person’s journey or at the end.”

Introducing palliative care early in the disease perspective is also an important mandate of Cancer Care Ontario (CCO). CCO has established recommendations on the organization and delivery of palliative cancer care services in Ontario through their Regional Models of Care for Palliative Cancer Care.

In the South West, the South West Regional Cancer Program and the LHIN, along with many community partners have begun to take a closer look at hospice and palliative care throughout the region. Five collaborative tables have been set up to review current state and key issues in palliative care including: broad access and timeliness, caregiver supports, service capacity and human resources care settings, improving integration and continuity of care across care settings, accountabilities and building public awareness.
The goal of these collaboratives is to establish effective hospice and palliative care services that are standardized, easily accessible, and that will support the communities throughout the region. 

Resources:

 Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association

 Hospice Palliative Care Onatrio

 Virtual Hospice