Providing Symptom Relief and Support for Serious Illnesses
When you are faced with a serious or complex illness, not only do you deserve expert clinical care, you also may need support addressing the symptoms and side effects of your illness. At Shore Medical Center, we offer Supportive Care in collaboration with your medical team, which can help you have the best possible outcome and overall quality of life throughout your illness.
What Is Supportive Care?
Supportive Care, also known as palliative care, is a consultative medical service ordered by your physician. Supportive care can help you manage symptoms of a serious or complex illness, including pain, fatigue, and stress, at any age or stage.
Led by a nurse practitioner, the Supportive Care team also consists of a medical physician, pharmacists, social workers and bedside nurses. Your team works hand-in-hand with you and your physician to offer you the following:
- Pain and symptom management
- Help with decisions concerning your goals and wishes
- Guidance with making difficult treatment choices and ensuring those choices incorporate your values and beliefs
- Family meeting assistance to help reinforce everyone’s understanding of the disease process
- Help in navigating the healthcare system
- Assistance with advance care planning
- Emotional and spiritual support for you and your family
Is Supportive Care Right for Me or My Loved One?
Anyone with a serious illness and symptoms should consider Supportive Care, regardless of age. If you are unsure if you should request Supportive Care, consider the following questions.
- Do you have cancer or a chronic disease like COPD, heart failure, or kidney failure?
- Are you experiencing pain, fatigue, stress, nausea or other symptoms affecting your quality of life?
- Are you uncertain about your disease process?
- Could you use more support with your symptom management?
- Do you need added support in communicating your wishes to your care team?
- Do you need help creating documents to put your wishes in writing?
If you feel that you or a loved one would benefit from Supportive Care, be sure to talk to your doctor or health care team and request a Supportive Care consult. For more information, please call 609-926-4283.
