Palliative Medicine
Through compassionate Palliative and Hospice Care, Manchester Memorial Hospital is dedicated to helping provide the medical care, comfort and emotional support needed to respect you and your loved ones wishes. In most cases, we seek to provide comfort and safety in a home setting if possible.
Palliative care focuses on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of serious illness. The goal is to improve the quality of life for both the patient and the family. Palliative care is appropriate at any age and at any stage of illness and it can be provided along with all other medical treatments.
Manchester Memorial Hospital's Palliative Medicine Program
Our Palliative Medicine team includes social workers, nurses, physical and occupational therapists and pastoral care, who work together with your doctors to provide an additional layer of support.
Palliative Medicine consultations can occur at the same time as all other treatments for your illness. Our palliative care providers, together with your own doctor, make sure that you receive:
- Symptom relief including pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite, numbness and issues with sleep
- In-depth communication with you and your family about your goals, your concerns and your treatment options – and how to match your goals with those options
- Coordination of care among all of your health care providers
- Improved ability to tolerate medical treatments and the side effects of the disease
- Improved ability to carry on with daily life
- Emotional, practical, and spiritual support for you and your family
Our Services
- Family meetings and patient/family counseling to establish goals of care
- Interdisciplinary meeting coordination between you, your family and your health care providers to discuss prognosis and treatment options
- Expertise in managing physical and emotional symptoms
- Support in resolving conflicts. This includes conflict/changes to your care goals, DNR orders and treatment requests
- Coordination of care across settings – patient admission, discharge, follow-up appointments and home care
