Palliative care plays an important role not only in end-of-life care, but throughout a patient’s trajectory. 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 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 is aimed at improving the quality of life for cancer patients. Introducing palliative care early in the disease prospective is an important mandate of Cancer Care Ontario (CCO). CCO has establihsed recommendations on the organization and delivery of palliative cancer services in Ontario through their Regional Models of Care for Palliative Cancer Care.
If you are caring for a cancer patient who could benefit from palliative services during treatment, contact his/her oncologist or refer to the South West Hospice Palliative Care Network for forms and processes.