Hospice and palliative medicine
Hospice and Palliative Medicine
Hospice and Palliative Medicine (pronunciation: /ˈhɒspɪs/ and /ˈpælɪətɪv/), often referred to as Hospice Care or Palliative Care, is a specialized area of healthcare that focuses on relieving and preventing the suffering of patients.
Etymology
The term "hospice" comes from the Latin word hospitium, meaning guesthouse. It was originally used to describe a place of shelter for weary and sick travelers returning from religious pilgrimages. The term "palliative" comes from the Latin palliare, which means to cloak or cover.
Definition
Hospice Care is a type of care and philosophy of care that focuses on the palliation of a chronically ill, terminally ill or seriously ill patient's pain and symptoms, and attending to their emotional and spiritual needs.
Palliative Care is a multidisciplinary approach to specialized medical and nursing care for people with life-limiting illnesses. It focuses on providing relief from the symptoms, pain, physical stress, and mental stress at any stage of illness.
Related Terms
- End-of-life care: A specific type of palliative care for individuals who are nearing the end of life.
- Pain management: A branch of medicine employing an interdisciplinary approach for easing the suffering and improving the quality of life of those living with chronic pain.
- Hospice Care in the United States: A specific type of care in the United States that focuses on the palliation of a terminally ill patient's symptoms.
- Palliative sedation: The use of sedative medications to relieve extreme suffering by making the patient unaware and unconscious (asleep) during the last few days of life.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Hospice and palliative medicine
- Wikipedia's article - Hospice and palliative medicine
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