Cancer patients must battle physically and emotionally, especially when they are facing a rush of emotions including sadness, stress, fear of no cure, or not getting any better. Therefore, palliative care is integral to the well-being of patients and their family.
What is Palliative Care?
Palliative care focuses on alleviating pain, physically, emotionally, and socially while mainly treating cancer. It is a comprehensive program for patients from diagnosis all the way for the rest of their lives so that they understand the condition they are facing, the risks, treatment, benefits, and to help make informed decisions about their own health, while taking into consideration their own needs and their family’s needs.
5S of Palliative Care
The 5S of palliative care helps cancer patients come to peace with their illness. They include:
- Symptoms Control
Cancer patients may have some physical symptoms that affect them psychologically. These symptoms, including pain, difficulty breathing, diarrhea, constipation, fatigue, dry mouth, loss of appetite, wounds, rashes, etc., can be effectively managed under the guidance of an oncologist. - Spring – Resilience
Resilience will guarantee a level of ease. Although cancer patients may not be in the best physical shape, you can choose to be in their better emotional place. By developing resilience, you can spring back when faced with difficult situation. - Social Support
Being surrounded by your loved ones and the ones you love, including developing a good relationship with the people in your life is essential for building confidence for cancer patients. Realizing what is important to you, having a positive outlook, contentment in life, resilience, being unselfish, and having a good support system will be vital. - Spirituality
Because the meaning of life is different for each person, cancer patients should find their spirituality through work, love, or challenge to learn to help others. - Surrogate Decision Maker and Advanced Care Plan
Patients with advanced stage cancer will want to have an advance care plan so that you can plan your own healthcare before you can no longer make decisions for yourself. A living will can help you make your own decision whether you want intubation to help with your breathing, resuscitation in case of cardiac arrest, or whatever kind of treatment that you prefer to receive. Appointing a surrogate decision maker can allow someone else to make these decisions for you in case you can no longer do so. This process can be set in place through dialogues between patients, family members, oncologist, and the multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals.
Palliative Care Specialist
Dr. Darin Jaturapatporn, palliative care specialist, Supportive Care Center, Bangkok Cancer Hospital.
Click here to make an appointment.
Supportive Care Center
Bangkok Cancer Hospital Wattanosoth is ready to provide supportive care by a team of specialists who will provide concurrent care with cancer treatment so that patients can have their quality of life again.
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