Dealing with a serious illness? Try this:
"I'd love to understand my options for support with symptoms, decisions, and daily life. Can you help me get palliative care?"
The best care you've never heard of.
(Don't worry. It's not your fault.)
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Medicine treats the disease. Palliative care treats the life around it.
Together, you can live well, even with a serious illness.
"You made me feel like a person again."
-Lula
"I'm back in the dance of life."
-Amina
"Thank you for making me not feel dramatic."
-Rodney
"For once, all the pieces felt like they were in the same room."
-Howard
"I didn't cry in the car after this appointment. That's new!"
-Phyllis
"You pulled me up the mountain. Forever grateful."
-Alejandro
"You made me feel like a person again."
-Lula
"I'm back in the dance of life."
-Amina
"Thank you for making me not feel dramatic."
-Rodney
"For once, all the pieces felt like they were in the same room."
-Howard
"I didn't cry in the car after this appointment. That's new!"
-Phyllis
"You pulled me up the mountain. Forever grateful."
-AlejandroHow To Get It
You have options at every step.
Palliative care is often introduced through your existing care team. It might come from your doctor, nurse, hospital, or clinic. But you can also ask about palliative care services directly at any point during treatment.
Other questions you can ask
Does this hospital or clinic have a palliative care team?
Is there an outpatient program?
Can a navigator or social worker help me?
If now is not the right time, what would make it the right time?
FAQ
Let's clear a few things up.
If you're asking these questions, you're not alone. Most people have never had palliative care explained clearly (or been told who it's for).
What is palliative care?
Palliative care helps people live well with serious illness at any age or any stage. It works alongside the care you already receive, helping you understand your options, coordinate your care, and feel more in control.
Who is palliative care for?
People of any age, at any stage of a serious illness. You can ask early, and you can keep getting treatment for your condition.
Is palliative care the same as supportive care?
They overlap. Both are about helping you feel better, understand your options, and get through the day with more support. Palliative care is the medical term many care teams use.
Can I keep my current treatment?
Yes. Palliative care works alongside the treatment you already have. It helps you get through it with more comfort, clarity, and backup.
What does a palliative care team actually do?
They help with pain, fatigue, nausea, stress, big decisions, confusing choices, and care that feels scattered. Their job is to help the whole plan make more sense.
How is this different from the care I already receive?
Your specialists focus on the illness. Palliative care focuses on how the illness is affecting your life, your family, your energy, your symptoms, and your choices.
When should I ask about palliative care?
Any time a serious illness starts making life harder than it needs to be. Many people wish they had asked sooner.
I thought it was something else...
There are a lot of misconceptions about palliative care. A key point: palliative care is for any age and any stage of illness. At your hospital or clinic, palliative care may have a special focus, so ask them. Hospice, in case you are wondering, is specifically for end of life.
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Talk up palliative care!
If you are a clinician or advocate, download posters, videos, and slides to help more people understand palliative care.
