13 May 2019 The goal of palliative care is to promote these patients’ well-being and quality of life, regardless of the stage of their illness. The essential components of palliative care are: Relief of symptoms Psychological, spiritual and emotional support for the patient Support for the family Bereavement counselling. These factors involve a qualified interdisciplinary team of doctors, nurses and psychologists. Palliative care is not aimed exclusively at certain diseases. It is care that takes account of the patient’s situation and overall needs. However, there are diseases that often require palliative care, such as: Cancer AIDS Chronic organ failure (e.g. heart, kidneys and liver) Serious neurological diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and dementia. Palliative care is not only aimed at the terminal phase of illness (the last months of life). In fact, palliative care teams can accompany patients and their families over weeks, months or even years before reaching this stage. This article was written with the support of physicians and other clinical professionals from the Hospital da Luz network. The content published in the Health Guide is intended for the general public and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not replace individual medical assessment, diagnosis, or personalized clinical advice from a qualified healthcare professional. The content is produced or reviewed by physicians and other healthcare professionals at Hospital da Luz and is based on the knowledge available at the time of publication or the most recent update, as indicated at the beginning of each item.
