Regardless of where you are in your treatment journey, Nurture Health is there to care.

Although we are primarily known for our comprehensive patient-focused medical care, specialising in rehabilitation, this includes palliative care, where rehabilitation focuses on improving quality of life, symptom relief and emotional support.

Our team of healthcare specialists can provide practical and emotional support for patients and their families, and this includes strategies for pain management as part of holistic medical treatment.

Rehab Intervention Leader Kaishiree Delomoney, a social worker with extensive experience in this field, knows how difficult this time can be.

“Palliation is a very sensitive issue with families, and we encounter the dynamics of palliation so often,” she says.

This can mean that patients and their families need to be educated about the road that lies ahead, and understand what their treatment options are.

The caring professionals at our rehabilitation hospitals are also able to share information on home nursing and out-patient services.

Palliative vs hospice care

While both hospice and palliative care focus on comfort and quality of life, hospice care is specifically for patients nearing the end of life, whereas palliative care is available to anyone with a serious illness or injury at any stage.

Both approaches involve dedicated healthcare professionals and support for both patients and families.

“Our aim with palliation is to allow the patient to die with dignity, while offering support and grief counselling to the family members,” says Delomoney.

“There are often feelings of anger, guilt and denial that come to the fore and we strive to assist the family by building insight and dealing with these emotions.”

Patient-centred ethos

It is also important to be attuned to the cultural context, she says, and Nurture Health’s patient-centred ethos takes this into consideration.

“In some cultures, when we bring up the issue of palliation, it is considered taboo as it seems to imply that we are ‘inviting’ death,” says Delomoney.

“It is vitally important that we understand and educate ourselves on cultural sensitivities and beliefs. We should never think that the traditional beliefs and values of palliation are a one-size-fits-all.”

Emotional and psychological support can therefore be so important to help the patient and their family to adapt.

Some patients may feel anxious about the future, or become depressed. Others may battle to handle the difficult conversations that often can come to the fore at this time.

Nurture Health is there to provide support to patients – and their family – throughout, focusing on treating the whole person, not just the illness, and enhancing quality of life as much as possible.