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Palliative Care

Shot of a senior woman using a laptop in a retirement homePalliative care is specialized medical care for people with serious illnesses. Our Palliative Care is a home based palliative care program.  This means that the nurse practitioner visits the patients in their homes or at the facility the patient resides in. The patient does not have to go to an appointment, the nurse practitioner comes you. It provides patients with support in the management of symptoms, pain, and stress of a serious illness-whatever the diagnosis. Our goal is to improve quality of life for both you and your family.

Palliative care is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness and can be provided along with curative treatment. We work in partnership with your other doctors to offer an extra layer of support for you and your family. Palliative care is provided by a team including a nurse practitioner, social worker, and nurse. Telephone access to an on-call registered nurse is available for support in managing symptoms 24 hours a day.

For more information about our facilities, contact our office at 608-374-0250.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What Can Life Choices Palliative Care Offer You and Your Family
  • Expert symptom management and guidance: Symptoms may include pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite, problems with sleep, anxiety, or difficulty tolerating medical treatments. The Palliative Care team explores situations that may occur as a result of your illness. We assist with reviewing and discussing your options before a health care crisis occurs.
  • Emotional support: A serious illness can be stressful and frightening for both you and your family. We offer emotional support that is respectful of your belief system, culture, and history, in the hopes of managing and decreasing emotional suffering.
  • Navigation through the healthcare system: The healthcare system can be confusing and overwhelming. Our Palliative Care team will work to achieve good communication and understanding between you and your healthcare providers about your health status, your goals of care, and your current treatments.
  • Coordination of care: Your community may offer services that can assist you in maintaining your independence as long as possible. Our Palliative care team will inform you about available community services and make referrals on your behalf as needed.
  • 24-hour nurse availability: Palliative Care offers telephone access to an on-call registered nurse for support in managing symptoms 24 hours a day.

You can receive palliative care services at the same time as all other treatments for your illness. There’s absolutely no reason to wait. In fact, some studies have shown that palliative care may extend life. Pain and other symptoms affect your quality of life, and stress can have a big impact on your family. The palliative care team can help.

Palliative care can provide expert management of symptoms such as:

  • Pain
  • Fatigue
  • Shortness of breath
  • Constipation
  • Nausea
  • Loss of appetite
  • Problems with sleep
  • Anxiety and depression
  • Loss of mobility

Palliative care is also beneficial for those experiencing the following:

  • Several trips to the emergency room
  • Several recent admissions to the hospital
  • Treatment that is no longer working
  • Difficulty eating due to your illness
Is Palliative Care the Same as Hospice?

No. Palliative Care manages the pain, symptoms and stress at all stages of an illness, whether you are seeking care or cure.

What Is the Cost?

Most insurance plans, including Medicare and Medicaid, cover palliative care nurse practitioner visits. There may be a co-payment, similar to your co-pay for an office visit to your doctor. Palliative care will contact your medical insurance to verify coverage of any of our services.

Tomah Health