Transitions and Life Choices (TLC)
Palliative care for those with advanced illness
To arrange a consultation, call:
612-728-2468 or toll-free, 866-827-5039
Who can benefit
Patients may receive palliative care if they decide to continue medical treatment with the goal of a cure. Or, they may want only treatment to manage suffering and improve quality of life. Palliative care treats and reduces symptoms and addresses spiritual and emotional concerns. Research has shown that some patients receiving early palliative care had significant improvements in quality of life and mood and longer survival.
Palliative care is available for those with a long-term or advanced illness, such as:
- Cancer
- Heart disease
- Lung disease
- Neurological diseases
- Liver disease
- Kidney disease
- Dementia
- Diabetes
- AIDS
Planning for your care
Decisions about your care are deeply personal. They are based on your values, preferences and discussions with your loved ones. The decisions about your care, should you become unable to speak for yourself, are yours to make, regardless of what care you choose. It is important that your choices for care are written down. Then they can be respected and fulfilled. We would be honored to help provide information and answer questions as you write what types of care you would or would not want should you be unable to speak for yourself.
When to consider palliative care
People arrive at the decision to receive palliative care at varying times since each person’s situation is different. These are some of the things that may lead to considering palliative care:
- Difficulties managing the illness
- Questions about the future because of the illness
- Upsetting symptoms such as pain, depression, nausea, shortness of breath, fatigue or anxiety
- A desire to learn more about treatments and care choices
- Emotional difficulties such as loss of hope
- Help in thinking through tough medical decisions
- Family disagreements related to the illness
- A mind, body and spirit approach to care
- Repeated time in the hospital
- Not ready to consider hospice care
The TLC team and services
Our TLC home care team includes specially trained individuals. Together, they provide many services, depending on your needs. The team includes nurses, social workers, physicians, spiritual care providers, home health aides and pharmacists, as well as physical, occupational and speech therapists. We coordinate care with your own physician.
Making the decision about palliative care services
Your first step in deciding about TLC services will include a conversation with members of our team. They will help you learn about and choose the options you feel are best – and plan for the care before you need it.
Insurance, payment
We will be happy to talk about insurance coverage with you, including Medicare and Medical Assistance and private insurance. Private pay options are also available.
