Palliative Care
in Los Angeles

What is Palliative Care?

Palliative care is specialized medical care for people living with severe illnesses, such as cancer or heart failure. Patients in palliative care may receive medical care for their symptoms, palliative care, and treatment intended to cure their serious illness. Palliative care is meant to enhance a person's current care by focusing on the quality of life for them and their family.

Who makes up the Palliative Care team?

A palliative care team comprises multiple professionals that work with the patient, family, and the patient's other doctors to provide medical, social, emotional, and practical support. The team comprises palliative care specialist doctors and nurses and includes others such as social workers, nutritionists, and chaplains. A person's team may vary based on their needs and level of care. A person's health care provider may refer them to a palliative care specialist to begin palliative care. If they don't suggest it, the person can ask a health care provider for a referral.

In palliative care, a person does not have to give up treatment that might cure a severe illness. Palliative care can be provided along with curative treatment and may begin at diagnosis. Over time, if the doctor or the palliative care team believes ongoing treatment is no longer helping, there are two possibilities. Palliative care could transition to hospice care if the doctor believes the person is likely to die within six months. Or, the palliative care team could continue to help with increasing emphasis on comfort care.