About

Palliative care is not just about dying, it’s about living as well as you can with a life-limiting condition.

Palliative care means choosing to access care from a health-care facility, personal care home – or from the comfort of your own home.

Many people think palliative care is only for people with terminal cancer, can only be initiated when all treatment options have failed or that it might speed up or prolong death, when in fact, the truth is quite the opposite.

When offered at the right time, a palliative approach to care can actually help improve quality of life, reduce stress and provide relief for individuals with serious illness – and their families.

Palliative Care Services at Eastern Health are comprised of an interdisciplinary team of health-care providers that offer services across the region at specific sites, as well as in the community.

Those involved in your care will differ depending on your own unique needs, the needs of your family and the location of your care.

A palliative approach to care includes:

• Management of pain and other symptoms.
• Ensuring adequate support (practical, emotional and spiritual) for you, your family and your caregiver(s).
• Ensuring you, your family and your caregivers are knowledgeable about your condition so you can make informed decisions about your care.

Palliative care refers to treatments and services for people living with conditions such as: