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    Nov 17
    Blog: Palliative Care: It’s About Living

    November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. This year's theme is "It’s About How You Live." Saratoga Hospital Medical Group - Palliative Care team is dedicated to this theme every day, helping patients identify how they want to live within the parameters of their illness and supporting those goals.  palliative care

    Palliative care is patient- and family-centered care that provides treatment and symptom relief with the goal of optimizing the patient’s quality of life. There’s often a misconception about the difference between palliative and hospice care. Hospice is a specialized care offered for comfort at the end of life. Palliative care can be offered at any time through serious illness, including soon after diagnosis and even if the illness is chronic but not terminal. 
     
    In fact, our palliative care team works alongside the primary care team and other specialists during active treatment. They monitor the patient’s condition, consulting with the patient’s specialists, as well as provide relief from symptoms, including pain, shortness of breath, nausea, and any other distressing symptoms. 

    These measures of relief free a patient’s focus, so they can set and achieve goals, living as fully as possible within their condition. Wholly dedicated to the patient’s wishes, our team of highly trained professionals provide guidance with difficult and complex treatment choices. The team helps patients and families understand their options, ways to reach their goals, and navigate the healthcare system.

    Palliative care is compassionate and respectful, ensuring patients’ dignity and well-being. Our caring team will help pull together the resources our patients need for psychological, social, emotional and spiritual support, with internal referrals and community resources for the patient as well as the patient’s family.
     
    For patients unable to travel to the office, our outpatient palliative care physician may conduct home visits, which are conducted with strict adherence to COVID-19 precautions for the safety of our patients and their families as well as our team. Eligibility for home visits depends on the patient's mobility, level of illness severity, and access to transportation.

    Saratoga Hospital Medical Group – Palliative Care is dedicated to serving patients at any stage of serious illness with the best combination of expertise and compassion, whether on the inpatient units at Saratoga Hospital at 211 Church Street or on an outpatient basis in our office or patient’s home. Saratoga Hospital Medical Group - Outpatient Palliative Care is provided at Saratoga Hospital Medical Offices - Wesley at 119 Lawrence Street, Saratoga Springs.