Course Description:

Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual. Palliative care IS NOT hospice care and services may be provided during the curative phase of an illness or condition. Therapists may be involved with clients receiving palliative care. The core base of palliative care rehabilitation is to preserve each phase of the patient’s independence as long as possible. With each phase of a disease or condition, there may be intense psychological distress accompanied by a diminishing body image. Rehabilitation goals and interventions are directed by patients and their families and focus on obtaining optimal level of independence in areas or ADL, communication, transfers, mobility and swallowing, minimizing pain, increasing comfort, fatigue management and energy conservation and discharge planning.