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Benefits of Rehabilitation for Palliative Care

According to the World Health Organization’s definition from 2002, palliative care is “an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering through early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial, and spiritual.” Since the publication of this definition, Rehabilitation for Palliative care has changed from being a service offered in the last days of life to a holistic approach to managing symptoms related to progressive illness and disability, as well as adapted to the needs of patients and families.

Palliative care is expected to be necessary for about 5.4 million patients annually [Hindustan Times, Palliative care in India: Care, beyond cure, April 04, 2022] Only 1% of them have access to it, though. In India, a higher percentage of patients seek rehabilitative services later in the course of their illness than in the west. Once in tertiary care centres, many patients continue to receive treatment there. Large tertiary care facilities in India are overburdened and routinely treat terminally ill patients from different states, which is a sign of the paucity of basic palliative care services in many parts of the country. This increases the cost of patient treatment, leads to medical staff fatigue and burnout, and results in inefficient facility utilisation.

 

 

The quality of life, comfort, and resiliency of seriously ill patients and their families are all improved by palliative care and rehabilitation. Patients who are seriously ill or have life-threatening illnesses, such as cancer, organ failure, or dementia, which have a detrimental influence on their daily lives or cause significant stress for their caregivers. An interdisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, social workers, and therapists provides palliative care to identify and treat the medical, psychological, social stressors related to serious disease.

Rehabilitation for Palliative Care Patients

Our healthcare system treats serious issues and finds solutions. But when a problem persists, people frequently experience a sense of helplessness because they are unsure of where to turn for help. The goal of palliative care is to enhance the quality of life for patients who are dealing with a terminal illness. Besides helping patients manage challenging symptoms, palliative care is frequently provided with both conventional and innovative medical therapies. Sukino understands the significance of managing a terminal disease or other medical condition, which can be difficult for anyone. Our comprehensive team of medical professionals—including physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, pain management experts, and counsellors—is dedicated to providing the best palliative care services and guaranteeing the comfort of seriously sick patients. This blog post talks about how vital rehabilitation is for patients receiving palliative care.

• For patients and their families, palliative care and rehabilitation aims to ease suffering and offer the highest quality of life possible. Pain, despair, shortness of breath, exhaustion, nausea, loss of appetite, sleep disturbances, and worry are just a few symptoms that may appear. Recent research published in New England Journal of Medicine has also shown that patients with serious illnesses who got palliative care lived longer than those who did not.

• Specialists from Sukino palliative care and rehabilitation teams collaborate with your family, other medical professionals, and you. When you need it most, they offer an additional layer of support. Our care team consults with all of your doctors to ensure that everyone is aligned, besides treating your symptoms and stress and offering support to you and your family. Every step of the process, they are there for you.

• Adding an exercise regimen makes sense because physical activity increases longevity and long-term health. Even individuals who are getting a late start on their fitness regimen can benefit from our care team’s supported exercise. Our experts will provide an exercise program that is safe but not overly demanding based on a patient’s present health and physical condition. To create a strategy that the patient will appreciate, the doctor will discuss the patient’s hobbies. Walking, dancing, or seated activities could be a part of it. Gentle, weightless exercise is provided by swimming.

Patients have said that rehabilitation gives them a sense of calm, well-being, and confidence. These temporary improvements in a few key areas could increase functional independence and the capacity to stay active for long and thereby would improve quality of life. Please contact us right away if you need rehabilitative services for a loved one.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

1. Which conditions does palliative care cover?

Since palliative care is customised to each patient’s unique needs, it varies from person to person. The World Health Organization lists several illnesses that may call for palliative care, including kidney failure, chronic liver disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis, neurological disease, dementia, congenital anomalies, and drug-resistant tuberculosis.

2. How can I tell if I require palliative care rehabilitation services?

People who are suffering from a serious disease or are terminally sick can manage their pain and suffering through the use of palliative care and rehabilitation. It can aid family members in navigating through this difficult time. It can assist in reestablish regular physical activity and relieve symptoms including pain, tiredness, worry, and sadness.