Dementia Answers: What is Palliative Care?
Video Transcript [Answer 1015]
Welcome and thank you for joining me.
Today, we're going to talk about palliative care and how it can help people who live with Dementia.
Palliative care focuses on comfort, quality of life, and symptom relief. It is not only for the end of life. Palliative care can be given at any stage of Dementia and can be used alongside other medical treatments.
What is palliative care?
Palliative care looks at the whole person, not just the illness. It helps manage symptoms like pain, anxiety, shortness of breath, trouble sleeping, or agitation. It also supports emotional, social, and spiritual needs. A palliative care team may include doctors, nurses, social workers, and chaplains who work together to support both the person with Dementia and their family.
How does palliative care help people living with Dementia?
As Dementia progresses, it can become harder for a person to explain how they feel or what hurts.
Palliative care providers are trained to notice signs of discomfort and respond with gentle care. They focus on keeping the person calm, safe, and as comfortable as possible.
Palliative care also helps families. It offers guidance with difficult decisions, such as treatment choices and care planning. Families can ask questions, talk about goals, and receive support during stressful times. This can reduce worry and help families feel more confident and supported.
When should palliative care begin?
Palliative care can begin as soon as a Dementia diagnosis is made and continue throughout the illness. Early support often leads to better comfort, fewer hospital visits, and improved quality of life.
Palliative care is about dignity, comfort, and honoring what matters most to the person. It helps people living with Dementia feel cared for, not just treated.
On behalf of the Dementia Society of America®, thank you again for joining me today. Stay informed, stay healthy, and take care of yourself.
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