Allina Palliative Care can help people with chronic or advanced illness
and may have...
lost hope and become depressed
not responded well to medications and still have pain
considered hospice but do not feel ready for it
disagreements with their family regarding the management of their illness
persistent difficulty with anxiety, delirium, depression, nausea, anorexia
or constipation
recurrent hospitalizations
no or little improvement after treatment for MI or stroke
difficulty with the management of an illness
a care plan that has not provided the results hoped for by the patient and
physician
medication costs that do not provide the intended relief and are becoming
a financial hardship to the patient.
Agnes' Palliative Care Story...
Agnes was diagnosed with ovarian cancer, the year her husband died. She underwent
surgery with no further chemotherapy or treatments. She had just learned that
the cancer had come back and spread to her bladder and abdomen. The only family
she had was a sister-in-law and nephew. She had no healthcare directive. All
she can think about is that she has a fear of being in pain and doesn’t want
to go through the ordeal that her husband did when he died of lung cancer.
Allina Palliative Care met with Agnes four times and provided several telephone
calls from an expert nurse for symptom management and family support.
The palliative care nurse accompanied Agnes and her sister-in-law to
her first cancer doctor visit. The nurse helped Agnes and her family understand
her disease and treatments that were presented by the doctor.
The social worker met with Agnes, her nephew (power of attorney), and
sister-in-law to discuss resources, assist in completing her health care directive,
and future planning options.
The palliative care nurse visited a third time to provide assessment
and treatment options to manage her abdominal pain and bladder spasms.
At the time that Agnes’ quality of life started to decline, the nurse
visited to discuss and assist Agnes’ transition from palliative care to hospice
care.
Agnes spent her remaining months at a care facility with hospice support.
If you think palliative care could help you or a loved one, please call Allina
Palliative Care 651-635-9173.
Allina Home & Community Services
1055 Westgate Drive, Suite 100
St. Paul, MN 55114
651-635-9173 E-mail us
Source: Last Acts, a national coalition to improve care and caring near the end of life
First published: 08/21/2004
Last updated: 07/10/2007
Reviewed by: Sandy Schellinger, RN, CHPN, director Allina Pallative Care
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