Getting diagnosed with a serious illness affects more than a person’s physical health. It can touch multiple areas of their life, including their emotional well-being, finances, and social and spiritual life.
A patient’s diagnosis can also significantly impact their family’s lives as well. Receiving an unexpected diagnosis is hard enough — without having to worry about all the other ways it can impact your life. That’s why, as part of a normal treatment regimen, patients have access to palliative care, and are encouraged to utilize it. Learn more about the difference between hospice and palliative care here.
National Institute on Aging. (n.d.). What are palliative care and hospice care?
UpToDate. (2022). Primary palliative care.