Palliative Care Resources
Comfort, Support and Care for Patients and Their Families
Patients with serious illness or injury may elect to receive palliative care, which is focused on providing relief from the symptoms, pain and stress no matter the diagnosis. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family. Palliative care is appropriate at any age and at any stage in a serious illness and can be provided together with curative treatment.
Here are resources for patients and their families as they consider palliative care, walk through that experience and grief resources.
CHA and Teachings of The Catholic Church
End-of-life guides from the Catholic Health Association of the United States.
Palliative Care is Integral to Catholic Healthcare
With its emphasis on compassionate care and treatment, palliative care is a hallmark of Catholic healthcare and is fully consistent with the Catholic moral tradition.
Differences Between Hospice and Palliative Care
Palliative and hospice care share many similarities. Both models of care focus on symptom relief, quality of life and family involvement. Care is holistic, collaborative and delivered by a team of specially trained providers.
Caring for People at the End of Life
Modern medical technology has brought about cures, slowed the process of diseases and alleviated symptoms. This same technology, however, can at times create hard decisions for patients and their families about continuing its use when treatment becomes burdensome to the patient without providing benefit.
Advanced Directives – Expressing Your Healthcare Wishes
An advance healthcare directive can provide some peace of mind to you and your family by making it more likely that your wishes will be carried out if and when you are unable to express them yourself.
Caring Even When We Cannot Cure
Palliative care helps patients with serious illness live as well as possible during their illness and provides compassionate care to relieve the range of physical and emotional symptoms that often accompany serious illness or the side effects of treatment.
Coping with Grief
Grief is the reaction and expression of loss, and everyone grieves differently, depending on life factors. We hope this information can help you understand the grieving process and guide you through this difficult journey.
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Grief
- Is a natural and normal reaction to loss that is needed in order to heal
- Can follow many kinds of loss: death of a loved one, divorce, miscarriage, serious illness or death of a pet
- Can bring a wide range of emotions
- Can help in finding ways to cope with pain
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Normal Reactions to Loss
- Shock and disbelief
- Anger or resentment
- Guilt
- Fear or anxiety
- Deep sadness or depression
- Physical problems
- Hope and personal growth
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Steps to Healing
- Let yourself grieve in your own way.
- Allow and express any feelings or thoughts about your loss if you can; there is no right or wrong way to do this.
- Reach out to those you trust for support.
- Many times people don't know how to help, so tell them what you need.
- Rituals (ceremonies, symbolic acts) can help you develop a healthy acceptance of your loss.
- Put any regrets into perspective. Think about the good you did for this person.
- Keep memories alive.
- Look to your faith.
- Wait a while on making major changes/decisions (moving, remarrying or changing jobs).
- Allow time for adjustment.
- Consider joining a support group, if needed.
- Take care of yourself: eat healthy, get rest and engage in healthy activities.
- Think about helping others in a way that may be meaningful to the deceased.
- Allow yourself to move on, laugh and do something you enjoy.
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Holidays and Other Special Occasions
These can be especially hard after you have experienced loss. With planning, you can make these times less upsetting and give them new meaning. It's normal to grieve during holidays, birthdays, anniversaries and changes in season. Talk with your family and others about how you all can observe the moment in a way that best meets everyone's needs and wishes. Do something special to remember your loved one.
Helping Children Cope with the Death of a Loved One
We’ve created a resource for families to provide guidance for talking with kids after a loved one dies.
Be strong, and let your heart take courage, all you who wait for the Lord! —Psalm 31:24
Moving Beyond Immediate Grief
When someone dies, their living loved ones are faced with very important and urgent decisions. These decisions can be very difficult. Many can be handled by family and trusted friends. Please allow them to help you and use this practical information as a guide through this difficult time.
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Within the First Week
- Notify all the relatives and friends or have someone do it for you.
- Make funeral or memorial service arrangements.
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Within the First Month
- Start by getting 5-10 official copies of the death certificate.
- Find important papers:
- Marriage certificate
- Income tax returns
- Deeds
- Bank records
- Account statements
- Stock certificates
- Insurance policies
- Social Security card
- Original will
- Military discharge papers
- Ask your bank to release joint bank account funds. This depends on each banking institution. Check with your bank as some freeze the accounts upon the death of a spouse.
- Set up a new bank account, if needed.
- Safety deposit box - if you are the joint owner, beneficiary or administrator of the estate (on the legal succession papers) then you have access.
- Contact the Social Security Office to find out if you are eligible for new benefits.
- Write a formal letter to your loved one's employer, union or other group with which he/she was involved. Inquire about insurance, pension, 401K or stock benefits.
- If a veteran, apply for veterans' benefits at the Veterans Administration Office.
- Advise all creditors in writing, including credit card issuers, of the death.
- Contact the deceased's lawyer or hire a lawyer if they did not have one.
- Contact insurance companies (life, health, mortgage, auto and credit card) and file all claims.
- If needed, cancel insurance policies, change the names on them or change the names of beneficiaries.
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Within the First Six Months
- See a tax accountant or tax lawyer to find out about tax returns to be filed.
- Probate is the legal process of distributing a person's assets after death. This can be difficult so check with a lawyer.
Online Grief Resources
Willowgreen.com
An excellent source of information and inspiration related to loss and grief.
AARP.org
A comprehensive site providing information on loss and grief, specific information for widows and widowers and how to help people who are grieving.
AmericanHospice.org
American Hospice Foundation offers support for grieving adults and children as well as educational resources.
CaringInfo.org
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization offers information on grief as well as resources for support through the grieving process.
CompassionateFriends.org
An organization dedicated to families who have lost a child; provides information to assist families toward the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child of any age and to provide information to help others be supportive.
GriefHealing.com
Information, comfort and support for anyone coping with or anticipating the loss of a loved one by including useful articles on various aspects of loss, recommended book lists, inspirational writings and poetry.
GriefWatch.com
Provides bereavement resources and links that can help with a personal loss.
GriefShare
GriefShare is a website created to walk alongside you through one of life’s most difficult experiences.