Palliative Care It can be confusing to know where to find help when coping with a serious illness and all the changes it brings. You may feel hopeful or discouraged from moment to moment. For more than 130 years, people have turned to VNA Care when they need care and support for a serious illness and want to continue living at home. Our Palliative Care Program is specially designed to provide support, comfort, and improved quality of life for anyone living with a serious or complex health condition. It is appropriate at any stage of an illness and can be a part of a care plan that includes treatment for a disease. Your Palliative Care Team You are the center of the palliative care team which is led by a palliative care certified nurse practitioner. Additional support including nursing, therapy, and social work is available as needed. All care is provided in coordination with your personal physician and with the support of our own medical director. How Palliative Care Helps The palliative care team helps patients and their loved ones live as fully as possible during a serious, chronic, or otherwise life-limiting illness. Care is geared to the individual and begins with physical comfort so that other needs — emotional, social, practical, and spiritual — may be fully met. The Palliative Care team remains sensitive to personal, cultural, and religious values, beliefs, and practices. Clinicians work with patients to meet their goals and address their concerns, which may include: Managing pain, nausea, fatigue, shortness of breath, anxiety, and other distressing symptoms and helping to deal with side effects of therapies. Improving ability to continue participating in day-to-day activities Achieving the best possible quality of life — most of our patients find that when their pain and discomfort are relieved, their quality of life is enhanced Offering a support system to help you and your family or caregivers cope Helping with identification of treatment options and care goals Guiding you through a sometimes complex health care system Assisting with advance care planning, financial issues related to illness and caregiving responsibilities, and insurance and financial paperwork. Where is Palliative Care Provided? Services are provided wherever the patient calls home — private residences, assisted living communities, and more. VNA Care offers an extensive range of home-based health care services, giving patients and families greater flexibility and more options as their needs change. Who Pays for Palliative Care Palliative Care is oftentimes covered by Medicare and other health insurance plans. Quick Links Home CarePalliative CareHospice CarePrivate CareDonate VNA Care's Mission and Vision Our Mission: We provide the right care with kindness and compassion every day for every person we serve. Our Vision: Transforming Care to Improve Lives