Myths Vs. Facts: What You Need To Know About Palliative Care

Palliative care is a type of care that focuses on improving the quality of life of people with serious or life-limiting illnesses and their families. It aims to relieve physical, emotional, social, and spiritual suffering and provide support throughout the illness trajectory. 

Despite the benefits of palliative care, many people have misconceptions about what it is and what it does. These myths can prevent people from accessing palliative care or accepting it when it is offered. In this article, we will debunk some of the common myths and facts about palliative care.

Myth: Palliative care makes death occur sooner

Fact: This is one of the most prevalent and harmful myths about palliative care. Some people may think that palliative care means giving up on curative or life-prolonging treatments or that it involves administering high doses of opioids or sedatives that can hasten death. This is not true. Palliative care does not hasten or postpone death. It respects the natural course of the illness and helps people live as well as possible until they die.

Palliative care can improve survival for some patients with advanced cancer. Early palliative care along with standard oncologic care provides a better quality of life, less depression, and longer survival. 

Myth: Palliative care is only for people dying of cancer

Fact: This is not true. Palliative care is for anyone with a serious or life-limiting illness, regardless of the diagnosis or prognosis. It can help people with chronic conditions such as heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), dementia, kidney disease, HIV/AIDS, etc.

Palliative care can also be provided at any stage of the illness, not just at the end of life. It can be integrated early in the disease process along with disease-modifying or curative treatments to maximise quality of life and ease symptoms and suffering. Early palliative care can also help patients and families cope with uncertainty, plan for the future, and make informed decisions about their care.

Palliative care can also be flexible and adaptable to changing needs and circumstances. For example, a patient may receive palliative care at home for most of the time but may need to go to the hospital for acute symptom management or treatment complications. Alternatively, a patient may receive palliative care in the hospital but may choose to go home or to a hospice for their final days.

Myth: Palliative care is just about pain relief

Fact: Pain is a common symptom that affects many people with serious illnesses and can significantly impair their quality of life. Palliative care is often called on to provide expert advice on optimal pain relief using medications and non-medication strategies. However, pain is not the only symptom that palliative care can address. Palliative care can also help with other physical symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, breathlessness, constipation, fatigue, insomnia, etc. can help patients and families to deal with anxiety, depression, grief, loss, isolation, guilt, anger, etc. 

Moreover, palliative care is not just about physical symptom relief. It also addresses emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of suffering that may arise from serious illness or its treatment. For example, palliative care can help patients and families to deal with anxiety, depression, grief, loss, isolation, guilt, anger, etc. Palliative care can also provide spiritual support to patients and families who may have questions about the meaning of life and death or who may seek comfort from their faith or beliefs.

Myth: Palliative care and hospice care are the same type of care

Fact: Palliative care and hospice care are both types of care that focus on improving quality of life and providing comfort and support to people with serious illnesses and their families. However, they are not the same. Palliative care can be offered to anyone at any stage of the illness, while hospice care is usually offered at the end stage of the illness when curative or disease-modifying treatments are no longer effective or desired by the patient and physician. 

Myth: When I work with palliative care, I will no longer see my other doctors

Fact: Palliative care does not replace your other doctors. It works with them as a team to provide comprehensive and coordinated care. Palliative care consults with your primary doctors and specialists to come up with a treatment plan that suits your needs and goals. Palliative care also communicates with your other doctors regularly to update them on your condition and progress.

Myth: Once I start palliative care, I can’t stop it

Fact: Palliative care is not a one-way street. You can start or stop palliative care at any time, depending on your preferences and needs. You can also change your mind about any aspect of your palliative care plan, such as your goals, treatments, or interventions. Palliative care respects your autonomy and dignity and supports you in making decisions that are right for you.

Palliative care does not exclude or replace other treatments or interventions that may be beneficial or desired by the patient. It works alongside other treatments or interventions to enhance their effectiveness and reduce their side effects. 

Palliative care is not an either-or choice. It is BOTH - an approach that offers comprehensive and holistic care to people with serious illnesses and their families.

The author is Head of Department, Pain Management, Palliative Care  & Home Care, RGCIRC

Dr. Kinshuki Jain

Guest Author