Palliative Care
Palliative care is a specialized medical care of persons living with serious illnesses like cancer, severe heart, lung, kidney & liver failures, dementia, Parkinson’s etc.
These patients have a heavy symptom burden like pain, breathlessness, and many others, from the primary disease and the treatments received. The patients also suffer from the psychological, social and spiritual problems that come from living with terminal illnesses.
Hence in palliative care we address all these concerns of the patient and their families through a holistic approach, providing them comfort and relief and improve their quality of life.
Palliative care is better given at the same time as the treatments to cure or treat the primary disease. So we constantly engage and collaborate with all the concerned specialists and try to integrate our care into their treatments, for better outcomes.
While relief from physical symptoms like pain, breathlessness, fatigue etc. is the first priority, all efforts are made to address the emotional, psychological, social and spiritual concerns of the patients and their family members.
We deliver our palliative care service as a ‘continuum of care’ from the diagnosis, to the end of life of the patient, through our out-patient clinics, day care, in-patient care, home care, hospice care, 24/7 telephonic support and reach beyond to the families through our bereavement care. We extend quality care through a specially trained, certified, experienced and committed team of palliative care physicians, nurses, counsellors and volunteers.
Age Care Foundation started palliative care services for the first time in the state of Andhra Pradesh outside Hyderabad, in the year 2012.
Registered Medical Institution
Age Care Foundation is recognized by the A.P Drug Control Administration to procure, stock and dispense Essential Narcotic Drugs. They include Morphine and Fentanyl which are very helpful in relieving moderate to severe pain experienced by some of the cancer patients.
Out-Patient Care
We provide out-patient services on all working days, availed by patients who are on a curative treatment and referred for pain management. We engage with patient family too and follow up the patient in collaboration with the primary specialist.
Palliative out-patient clinics offer consultation for patients living at home and who are able to visit the clinic. They are an important component of a community palliative care program.
Palliative Home Care
Home-based Palliative Care provides meeting of physical, psychological, and social needs of the patients with chronic and disabling health problems such as advanced cardiac, renal, respiratory, malignant, and neurological conditions in home based setting. It is provided by a multidisciplinary team that is trained in palliative care and consists of physicians, nurses and volunteers in line with Palliative Care program.
Age Care Foundation provides continuity of care to persons with life limiting and incurable illnesses. The services are made available to patients at their own homes. The mobile medical team conducts scheduled visits to patient’s houses as per their need. Preference is given to persons who are bedridden, seriously sick and functionally dependent.
Day Care & In-Patient Care
We extend day care services to patients requiring acute pain management, wound dressing, palliative paracentesis, bladder lavage, constipation dealt with and catheter change. These also serve as respite care for the Caregivers.
We provide in-patient care services for patients who require symptom management stoma care, wound care, lymphedema management, etc. on a long term.
Hospice Care
Hospice care is for people who no longer want treatment or whose illness has stopped responding to treatment. It is appropriate for persons whose estimated life expectancy is six months or less. Hospice care can be provided at hospital, hospice, or patient’s home.
At present we are running the palliative care facility in Gayatri Vidya Parishad Hospital, Madhurawada, Visakhapatnam.
End of Life Care
Care given to people who are near the end of life and have stopped treatment to cure or control their disease. End-of-life care includes Physical, Emotional, Social and Spiritual support for patients and their families. The goal of end-of-life care is to control pain and other symptoms so the patient can be as comfortable as possible. We provide terminal care and end of life care, by trained medical teams. The psycho social concerns of patients and families are also addressed through counselling and constant engagement.
Palliative Care Team provides emotional, psychological and spiritual support to individuals and families to assist with grief, loss and adjustment after death of loved one.
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