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The five stages of palliative care

At the heart of palliative care lies the simple but profoundly important mission to ensure the comfort and quality of life to those facing a life-limiting illness. Whether you are a patient, family member, or carer, the palliative care journey can feel overwhelming, filled with uncertainty and emotional challenges.

One of the most common questions is about the journey from diagnosis through to end of life. In this month’s blog we are sharing the five stages of palliative care and how you or your loved one can access in-home support during each stage.

What is palliative care?

Palliative care is a specialised treatment approach to improve the quality of life for a person diagnosed with a life-limiting illness. It is delivered by a team of medical professionals who support the patient from the initial diagnosis through to their end of life.

Palliative care is person-focused and is often guided by the patient’s wishes, as well as ensuring their comfort and dignity.

Some of the supports and treatments include:

Pain management
In-home care
Equipment and aids
Emotional and spiritual supports
Planning for future medical treatment decisions
Family and loved one support

Who can get palliative care?

Palliative care is for people of any age, who have been diagnosed with an incurable, life-limiting illness. People begin palliative care when they have exhausted all treatment options. In Australia, palliative care support is offered through public and private hospital systems, as well as in-home care.

The five stages of palliative care:

Stable

This is often when people begin to access palliative care, but their symptoms and condition/s are under control. Most symptoms are managed with medications, lifestyle changes or medical intervention.

The focus during this phase is to maintain comfort and quality of life and plan further interventions to maintain symptom control as required.

Patients during this phase continue with their normal daily activities as much as possible. Family members and key supporters are often engaged during this phase to receive advice on how to care for loved ones and manage their own needs and stress.

Unstable

This is when the patient’s illness begins to fluctuate, and symptoms become more pronounced, harder to manage or affect new areas or actions. At this stage, care becomes more intensive to try and stabilise the person’s condition. Depending on the severity or rapidness of the change, the patient will likely require more support from healthcare providers, adjustments to medications to better control pain or other symptoms, and further medical interventions.

Palliative care at home can be an option during this phase, where specialist nurses provide regular support for the patient in the comfort of their own home.

Deteriorating

Patients reach this phase when their overall function and status is declining. They are seeing a gradual worsening of existing problems as well as new, but anticipated, problems developing.

It is common for the patient to experience an increase in pain and fatigue during this phase. Management during this complex time will increase,

During this time, it is normal for family and caregivers to experience distress and grief about their loved one’s condition. Loved ones and carers can often receive support from the palliative care team, who can provide counselling, as well as respite from caring roles to ensure the quality of care is maintained and the loved ones are equally supported during a very difficult time.

Terminal

This is the final stage, where the patient is nearing the end of life. Depending on the person’s choice, they may be moved into hospice care or back home, if possible. During this phase, the focus is solely on comfort and dignity.

The palliative care team provide the family and patient with emotional, psychological, spiritual and physical supports to ease any discomfort or distress. This phase is very different for each individual and often reflects their own personal choices about how they wish to be treated and cared for.

Bereavement

Palliative care doesn’t end when the patient passes away. Bereavement care is a critical part of palliative care, offering counselling, grief support and resources to loved ones to adjust to life without their loved one.

What to expect with palliative care

Each phase of palliative care is different, just like each person’s illness and journey through palliative care is. It’s important to have clarity about what to expect, whether it’s you or a loved one receiving care.

Each person’s transition through the stages is unique to them and their condition. Some people may remain in the stable phase for years, while others will move through it quickly.

Keeping in touch with the emotional and spiritual supports available through palliative care is an important part of

Working with Focused Health Care

Focused Health Care has supported many people through the palliative care journey. As nurses, we are honoured to be part of a patient’s support system as the navigate changes in their own health, and provide quality healthcare in the comfort of their own home.

Our priority will always be the comfort and dignity for our clients, regardless of the stage of palliative care you are in.

Contact our team of highly skilled nurses to talk about palliative care needs today, call 1300 201 351.

*All information is general and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Focused Health Care can consult with you to confirm if this service is right for you.

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