How Palliative Care Can Help

To speak with someone about how Horizon Palliative Care services might help you or a loved one, please call 312-733-8900 or, toll free, 866-733-6028.

What is Palliative Care?

Palliative care is a philosophy and practice of healthcare that ensures the best possible quality of life for seriously ill patients by helping to relieve their physical, emotional and spiritual pain and symptoms and working to maintain or enhance the patient's quality of life.

Is Palliative Care the same as Hospice?

No. Palliative care patients may continue to receive chemotherapy, radiation therapy or other aggressive, curative treatments for their disease. In fact, palliative care can be useful in alleviating the side effects and stresses associated with curative treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, helping you recover more quickly and comfortably

When is Palliative Care helpful?

Palliative care is helpful when a patient is diagnosed with a life-threatening or complex, chronic illness and needs symptom management in order to maintain comfort and quality of life. Common diagnoses that our palliative care patients have include cancer, heart disease, advanced emphysema, liver failure, renal failure, stroke, advanced dementia, ALS and failure to thrive.

Typical problems resolved by Palliative Care include:

• Physical symptoms that are difficult to manage, such as pain, shortness of breath and nausea.
• Emotional difficulties like depression and anxiety.
• Ethical dilemmas about treatments such as withdrawal of aggressive medical support or feeding tubes.
• Patient, family and caregiver issues involving coping, decision-making and post-hospital care.

Do I have to go to the hospital to receive Palliative Care?

No! In fact, palliative care is proven to reduce the need for disruptive, costly emergency room visits and prolonged intensive care stays. Palliative care professionals are able to do this by anticipating some problems before they occur. Of course, if a hospital stay is necessary, a palliative care consultant can work with your hospital team.

Who are the members of the Palliative Care Team?

The core team consists of physicians, advanced practice nurses and licensed clinical social workers who specialize in palliative care. Additional psychosocial and spiritual support is available as needed.

What assistance can the Palliative Care Team provide?

• Incorporating the patient's wishes into a complete treatment plan.
• Relieving physical and psychological symptoms.
• Addressing emotional, spiritual, social and practical concerns of the patient or family.
• Discussing alternatives to invasive procedures, problematic treatments or intensive care stays.
• Coordinating care between locations of healthcare delivery, such as hospital and home, or hospital and nursing home.
• Planning for future care, should the disease progress.

Does the Palliative Care Team replace my home health care provider, if I have one?

No. The Palliative Care Team provides a different set of services than a home health care worker. However, if you have a home health care provider, we will work with them to provide you the best possible care.

Who pays for this service?

Visits from the physician and advanced practice nurse can be billed directly to Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurance plans. Other services are billed on a fee-for-service basis, with sliding-scale fees based on finances.

Where is Palliative Care delivered?

Horizon sees palliative care patients throughout the Chicago metropolitan area in their homes, in nursing homes, and at some community hospitals.

How can I obtain Palliative Care?

Call Horizon's Admissions Coordinator at 312-733-8900 or toll-free at 866-733-6028

Can you give me examples of what Palliative Care is?

John was a 54-year-old with lymphoma. He was dependent on blood transfusions and was admitted to palliative care because he wanted to continue treatment. John had shortness of breath, pain and constipation. His palliative care team alleviated these symptoms for John, giving him better quality of life.

Jane was a 47-year-old with AIDS and renal failure. Jane's brother called Horizon when he could no longer handle her care. Horizon provided aggressive pain relief, and managed her diarrhea and sinus symptoms. Horizon's physician and the palliative care nurse practitioner provided medical care and Horizon's psychosocial team provided emotional support to Jane's brother.