Palliative Care

If you are living with a serious illness resulting in physical symptoms that impact your quality of life, you may benefit from SOMC’s palliative care program.

Palliative care can help patients with serious illnesses learn to cope with their condition, as well as the impact it can have on other areas of their lives. SOMC makes palliative care available to patients at any stage of illness, at any point of their treatment and offers services in both inpatient and outpatient environments.

Every patient is different, but palliative care may be beneficial for those living with a life-threatening illness such as:

• Cancer
• Dementia
• Chronic heart disease
• Chronic lung disease
• Chronic liver or kidney disease
• Chronic neurological disease

It should also be considered with patients experiencing symptoms of disease or side effects of treatment such as pain, breathlessness, nausea, fatigue or depression. Those with an illness that has resulted in more than two hospitalizations within three months, or who are experiencing a general decline in health, may also benefit.

Through SOMC’s palliative care program, patients will receive a care plan customized to their goals and needs as well as guidance in making decisions about all aspects of their care. We care for both patients and their families, and focus on all the factors that affect healing – including physical, social and spiritual distress.