Comfort Care

What is comfort care?

Comfort care, also called palliative care, provides relief to people whose diseases cannot be cured. For someone in the early stages of a life-threatening illness, the goal is curing the disease. When a cure is not possible, the focus is on quality of life and managing symptoms. Comfort care helps manage symptoms such as fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea, and vomiting. It also helps with pain control. The goal is not to cure, but to provide comfort and maintain the highest possible quality of life. Programs also address mental health and spiritual needs.

How does comfort care work?

People with life-threatening conditions may request comfort care. The focus is on the care of the person, not just the disease. The kinds of specialists who provide comfort care may include:

• physicians
• nurses
• pharmacists
• psychiatrists
• social workers
• pastoral counselors
• dieticians
• physical and occupational therapists
• music and art therapists
• specially trained volunteers.

People who provide comfort care receive special training. Some professionals may be certified as palliative care specialists.

They begin work whenever the patient and family choose. Some people want them to start when they first get sick. Some wait until comfort, support, and quality of life issues are major concerns.

Where do I get comfort care?

Comfort care is given in a wide range of places, such as doctors' offices, clinics, long-term care settings, at home, or in a hospice facility. Many hospitals also offer comfort care programs. Some patients receiving comfort care also receive treatment such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.

For more information about comfort care, write or call:
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
1700 Diagonal Road
Suite 300
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Hospice help line: 1-800-658-8898
Web site: http://www.nhpco.org