A life-giving experience for people living with life-limiting illness.
Palliative care is a holistic care approach that focuses on the whole person, not just the medical condition and its physical symptoms. By addressing the physical, cultural, psychological, cognitive, social, and spiritual dimensions of wellbeing in an integrated and compassionate manner, holistic palliative care aims to promote comfort, dignity, and quality of life for patients and their families throughout the journey of serious illness. This approach recognises that every individual is a whole person, deserving of integrated care that supports their unique values, needs, and preferences.
- Physical needs – Refers to how physical symptoms (such as pain, weakness, nausea, fatigue, and vomiting) are managed to improve quality of life. Moreover, it identifies people’s physical strengths, their capacity to participate in care, and how life-limiting illnesses are diagnosed, prognosed, and treated.
- Cultural needs – Considers the profound influence of culture on individuals’ beliefs, values, preferences, and wishes. It acknowledges the diversity of cultural backgrounds and traditions among patients and their families, recognising that cultural norms and practices can significantly affect patients’ experiences of illness, death, and dying.
- Psychological and cognitive needs – Acknowledges the profound impact that serious illness can have on mental and emotional wellbeing. It assists individuals and their families by providing them with a safe space where they can identify and express their fears, anxieties, and grief. This includes identifying emotional supports and accessing services, such as counselling, which may assist patients and families to deal with the challenges of illness and end-of-life. Additionally, people can access information and referrals regarding a variety of typical concerns (such as legal, ethical, and financial).
- Social needs – Encourages social connections and meaningful relationships to enhance wellbeing. It promotes open communication and collaboration among patients, families, caregivers, community, and healthcare providers. This helps to facilitate supported or shared decision-making and a sense of community support, as well as preferences on communication languages and information disclosure.
- Spiritual needs – Respects the diverse spiritual and existential beliefs of patients and their families. It addresses elements such as hope, uncertainty, purpose, loss, and transition. As a result, there is time and space for reflection, meaning, and spiritual support tailored to individual belief systems, practices, or a sense of belonging to a community of faith, as well as preparing for a funeral or celebration of life and making legacy wishes.
The goal of holistic palliative care is to promote comfort, dignity, and quality of life for patients and their families throughout their journey of serious illness by addressing the physical, cultural, psychological, cognitive, social, and spiritual dimensions of wellbeing in an integrated and compassionate manner. By acknowledging that each person is complex, interconnected, and whole, palliative care can honour their unique needs, values, and preferences.
