Palliative & Comfort Care
Palliative care, a specialized type of medical care for people facing serious
illness, can help relieve distressing symptoms and the stress of living
with major health conditions. Palliative care delivers another layer of
support for anyone of any age and works together with challenging curative
treatments.
Expert Palliative & Comfort Care Close to Home
Even in the best of circumstances, dealing with serious illness can feel
overwhelming. If you’re hospitalized at OU Health in Oklahoma City,
you and your loved ones may take advantage of hospital-based palliative
care services for support while you undergo active treatment for serious
illness or life-limiting disease.
You become a key part of your healthcare team, which includes your primary
care doctor and OU Health’s palliative care experts who know that
true healing encompasses more than just physical rehabilitation. Read how
palliative care brings comfort. You and your palliative care team treat the effects of your illness and
its impact on your life and your family through a compassionate, whole-person approach.
Palliative Care Services & Treatments
While you deal with challenging curative treatments such as complex surgeries,
chemotherapy, radiation or dialysis, rely on OU Health’s palliative
care team for an extra layer of support. By
requesting palliative care early in your treatment process, you’ll gain the greatest benefits such as:
- Reduction of symptoms that cause distress, including pain, fatigue, anxiety,
nausea, breathing problems and more
- Spiritual, emotional and social support
- Pet therapy to reduce stress, fear, sadness or loneliness through therapeutic
contact with service animals ranging from dogs to horses
- Coordinated care among various healthcare providers and settings
- Assistance with arrangements for home care and other services after discharge
- Help with creating an advance care plan that details your wishes for your
future health care
Palliative Care vs Hospice Care
Palliative care helps anyone of any age who needs supportive care for challenging
health conditions or treatments, while hospice links services to prognosis.
Hospice care, a type of palliative care or palliation for those nearing
the end of life, can often be provided at home by loved ones with the
help of the hospice team, or in a nursing home or residential hospice
facility. Hospices provide care in the hospital only under certain circumstances
and only for a few days.
Your Palliative & Supportive Care Team
When you work with the palliative care team at OU Health, you receive comprehensive
services from a multidisciplinary group of specialists with extensive
experience in bringing compassionate care and relief to people who live
with a wide range of health conditions. Your care team may include a palliative
care provider or nurse, social worker, pharmacist, dietician, counselor
and spiritual advisor. You and your loved ones also play important roles
as members of your palliative care team.