Please share a tip on some do's and don'ts with regard to palliative care.

Do: Do include seeing an interventional pain doctor and having pain management procedures for relief.

Take: Take your pain management doctor with you. Don't leave them behind.

Splanchnic: Splanchnic care "blocks" help relieve pain from liver mets, decrease med needs, and helps improve bm.

Palliative: Palliative care transition is to move from a "cure" focus to a "comfort" focus.

Palliative: Palliative care doesn't mean giving up. It means finding the best quality of life that's possible.

Discuss: Discuss with your significant other and write down your end of life wishes. Its easier when the day comes.

Palliative: Palliative care is not hospice care. Make sure you understand the difference.

It's: It's not giving up treatment. It's just changing the goal to making you feel the best you can!

Remember: Remember not to lose hope! hope to feel better and happier without the side effects of treatment.

Pain: Pain control and comfort are the most important things you can do for your loved one at end of life.

Do: Do not be tempted to use tube feeding as intake declines. Allow natural death with comfort.

PCP'S: Pcp's should be aware of the hospice option and when to recommend. But a dr referral is not required.

Long-acting: Long-acting pain meds are the standard for treatment of chronic pain, such as methadone.

Consider: Consider hospice. It is a wonderful specialty of palliative care.

Be: Be supporrtive, not directive. View the patient's life rather than your potential loss. Be caring.

Palliative: Palliative care is person-centered care with a goal of maximizing a patient's quality of life.

A: A patient is always to be cared for and palliative care is not the end of life soon!

Spiritual: Spiritual or medical, palliative care means that the whole team takes care of you.

Talk: Talk to your family doctor and make sure every one in the family is on the same page first.

It: It is too harsh to say, "do no resuscitate!" instead, say, "allow natural death." this eases minds.

Most: Most hospitals now have palliative care teams. They are an excellent resource.

Once: Once this decision is made, seek the services of a hospice. They are most helpful.

Don't: Don't try to do all the care yourself. Get help from family, close friends & hospice.

Realize: Realize that palliative care is not about giving up. It's embracing life for what time is left.

Myth:: Palliative care does not mean my loved one will die in days. Many can have months of family time.

A: A common myth about palliative care is that everyone is basically giving up. On the contrary!

Palliative: Palliative care is a consensus decision that the patient and family agree is the best solution.

This: This is tough stuff without professional input. Share concerns & ask your doctor for advice please.

Don't: Don't think you have to be dying to get it do learn about it in time to avoid unnecessary distress.

People: People in palliative care can even receive hip replacement surgery to improve quality of life!

Palliative: Palliative care is a difficult step. Education and communication is key. And talk about concerns.

Honesty: Never take away hope, but discuss realistic expectations.

Caregiver: Caregiver burnout occurs---do not hesitate to use hospice services if offered.

Always: Always involve your family, friends, social worker, church, and primary care doctor.

Morphine: Morphine and Methadone work very well for long-acting pain control.

Do: Do encourage art therapy, music, and travel to parks to help keep the mind active.

There: There is a big difference between prolonging death and prolonging life.

Focus: Focus on the things that are important for the person, especially those that make them comfortable.

Opting: Opting for palliative care is not giving up! it is about refocusing on different goals.

Don't: Don't be afraid to discuss end-of-life wishes with your loved one.

Improves: Improves quality of life for patients & the family in chronic illnesses like congest. Heart failure.

Avoid: Avoid "poly pharmacy", and keep the goal of making the person comfortable.

When: When discussing palliative care, never take hope away; the will to live supersedes the living will.

Assure: Assure everyone that active treatment is not ruled out for other conditions. It is not hospice.

For: For nausea and GI discomfort, applying heat to the belly may be comforting without pills.

Palliative: Palliative care is not giving up. It is the alleviation of suffering in a terminally ill patient.

Do:: Do: discuss this early with your loved ones. Dont: enforce your wishes onto someone else.

Always: Always respect the wishes of the patient.

Open: Open communication is a must - the patient needs to make their wishes clear and be heard by everyone.

There: There are many options - openly discuss the ones which appeal to the patient. Pain will be managed.

Do: Do involve a pain management physician in your care.

Seek: Seek a physician who is trained in geriatric medicine because they commonly treat palliative care.

Change: Change your frame of mind - ask not "what will cure me", but rather "what will make me feel good".

Palliative: Palliative care is for the patient and the family; include all members in discussion.

Do: Do not hold back on pain medication. If needed, consult a reputable pain clinic.

A: A gentle electric fan blowing on the face can help with shortness of breath when nothing else will.

Be: Be sure to share your worst fears, so your doctor can help. Is it dying alone? In pain? Other fears?

Hospice: Hospice is a good option for people seeking to be kept comfortable in certain late stage diseases.

Get: Get consult from a palliative care specialist. Get your family involved in the decision.

If: If person still mobile, spend quality time in gardens or parks. Being with plants and nature helps.

"When: "when all other means of communication fail, try words." anonymous.

Help: Help the patient with access to fulfilling religious his religious needs, a frequent concern.

Remember: Remember that family members often struggle more with palliative care than the patient does.

Range: Range of motion exercises can help relieve back pain caused by lying in bed.

Involve: Involve your pastor, priest, chaplain, rabbi, elders, or imam as supportive resources !

Don't: Don't shy away from it. Palliative care can usually offer many choices to improve a difficult time.

Involve: Involve palliative care early before illness to set your own goals. Bring family to hear.

Don't: Don't nessecarilly expect miracles, but look at the angels in the loving faces of all around you.

In: In palliative care, the treatment goal changes from treating the disease to comfort care.

Pain: Pain management, sleep management , physical therapy are some of them.

Palliative: Palliative care is not just for dying patients.

A: A difficult but an important decision that allows quality time to be spent rather than in hospital.

Do: Do address palliatrive options early before becoming frustrated or without other options.

Just: Just start the conversation. You will find everyone has been thinking along the same lines.

Focus: Focus on the quality of life and not on the disease(s) that are ending it.

Some: Some believe this means giving up. No, you are respecting yourself and the natural order of life.

Palliative: Palliative care is great when end of life comes. Makes it painless and graceful. Helps family too.

Explain: Explain that it is not prematurely ending life but letting nature take its course.

Do: Do ask as many questions as you want and dot leave any in asked.

Always: Always make palliative care a team approach that include patient, family, caregivers and providers.

Make: Make sure to have a frank, open discussion regarding concerns, and know its not giving up!

Do: Do not assume palliative care is giving up. Do assume it can improve quality of life.

Many: Many people feel it is giving up or no treatment. Instead, the treatment focuses on quality of life.

Palliative: Palliative care has become an important adjunct to care, little don'ts and many do so use.

Palliative: Palliative care can be liberating for both the patient and his/her family.

People: People may wrongly think that palliative care implies no care at all or being left to die.

Make: Make sure to control pain without blunting senses so you can most enjoy your precious moments.

Palliative: Palliative care does not always mean withdrawal of support. It can be initiated soon after diagnosis.

Palliative: Palliative care dose not mean no care, but better care and preparation for the final exit.

Palliative: Palliative care is about being in control of ones life, humor and empathy with a patient are crucial.

Keep: Keep open communication with your healthcare team.

Be: Be specific about symptoms - "pain" can mean a lot of things - track what it feels like, where, when.

Remember: Remember that palliative care is not a withdrawal of care, just a change in the goals.

Psychotherapy,: Psychotherapy, visiting animals, religious services are often underutilized, valuable tools.

Palliative: Palliative care is a good thing but sometimes abused to save money in health care! 2nd opinion.

Sometimes: Sometimes abused to avoid costs in hospitals. Always ask for a second opinion! seen too often.

Do: Do make an advance directive regarding your end of life wishes. Don't think it's too early!

Clove: Clove oil can help relieve tooth pain temporarily.

If: If this is an end of life palliative care, consult pain control specialist and hospice!

Ignore: Palliative care is appropriate for anyone with a serious illness; it can be given w/curative therapy.

Ignore: It is important that you understand what this type of care is, what it covers and what is not done.

Ignore: Palliative care is the treatment of symptoms and control of things you can.

Ignore: Often focused on goal-setting; think about what you want and why.

Ignore: Get the most out of it! palliative care is active care, focused on making you feel the best you can.

Ignore: Comfort and dignity come first. Relieve suffering and honor respect.

Ignore: Do make sure that your wishes are made clear and understood. Don't forget to involve your family.

Ignore: Have your docs talk together. Have them estimate longevity and explain potential complications.

Ignore: Palliative care does not mean "no" care. Instead it signals more comprehensive and integrated care.

Ignore: Be very direct and open about the level of your pain.

Ignore: Hospice is amazing.Dont hesitate to consult these angels of mercy to help u thru.

Ignore: If you are near the end of your earthly journey, make peace with all those near and dear to you.

Ignore: Palliative care is about comfort rather than life saving measures, such as pain meds, feeding, etc.

Ignore: Remain upbeat and positive but realize that there is an end in view.

Ignore: Pain control is should be main concern not opiod toxicity.

Ignore: A good palliative plan involves all family members so they are advocates of patient at right times.

Ignore: Avoid last minute "heroics" sought by family who are not aware of persons wishes and plan. Respect.

Ignore: Family and friends are important.

Ignore: Very serious decision for patient, family, and society. Be sure, be careful, choose well.

Ignore: Avoiding unnessary testing and equipement can be very calming; no results=no test anxiety.

Ignore: Adjust your expectations. Palliative care is designed to improve comfort toward the end of life.

Ignore: Change your focus from cure to comfort. Know that it is not your fault. Take it day by day.

Ignore: Palliative care is temporary care! make sure you get your condition permanently treated!

Ignore: Compassion and care are gifts. By saying thanks, you are giving back.

Ignore: It is important to seek the support of family and friends, and if you are spiritual, to seek too.

Ignore: Comfort patient, give sufficient pain medication ; don't withhold for fear of excess drowsiness.

Ignore: Seek their counsel. They can help with symptom control, plan your life reduce distress and suffering.

Ignore: Palliative care doctors and pain doctors treat pain differently.

Ignore: Be open to including PC into your care plan along with curative care. Don't be afraid, it helps.

Ignore: In 1 lung cancer study, patients who saw both an Oncologist and Palliative specialist lived longer.

Ignore: Palliative care helps with difficult to control symptoms from cancer or chemo - pain, nausea, etc.

Ignore: Prepare for Palliative Care in advance of the need- discuss your wishes with your friends/family.

Ignore: Do accept a consult when offered, always identify goals of care, understand advanced directives.