Palliative Care in Virginia

For some illnesses, the most effective care available might not aim to cure the disease but to manage the symptoms. Despite ongoing research and recent medical advancements, many illnesses still have no cure, which can lead to a person experiencing lifelong symptoms. Despite having incurable illnesses, many people can benefit from palliative care to ease the symptoms. On the other hand, some curable illnesses are chronic or progressive. In these situations, palliative care helps keep symptoms at bay. When a person is suffering from an advanced illness, managing their symptoms and the pain they may cause is crucial for their well-being.

At Capital Caring Health, we understand how important it is to provide care that can help relieve some of the pain our patients feel. We offer palliative care services throughout the state of Virginia to ensure that we can provide this important type of care to those who need it. With these services, we can help patients create a plan to give them a higher quality of life as they receive other treatments.

What is Palliative Care?

Palliative care, also known as comfort care and advanced illness care, is specialized medical care for people with serious illnesses. It focuses on relieving the symptoms, pain, and stress of illness, with the goal of improving the quality of life for both the patient and their family. Many people think that palliative care is synonymous with hospice care. While you’ll often find the two working together, palliative services extend beyond those who require hospice. 

The main goal of advanced illness care is to relieve some of the pain a person’s illness causes, and can look different for each person. While people with advanced illnesses may have similar symptoms, what services they need to be at their best varies. The services you get through palliative care aren’t limited to only treating the physical effects of the condition, either. In many cases, the emotional pain caused by illness is just as bad, if not worse. Because of this, many people use comfort care for emotional and spiritual support, in addition to the medical care they need from it.

 

Who is Eligible for Palliative Care? 

Palliative services are available for many people going through lifelong and progressive illnesses at any stage before hospice may even be a consideration. This is even an option for those who are continuing other treatments and have the possibility of recovering from their illness in the future.

Through palliative care, patients can receive care for more than just the physical symptoms they may be experiencing. This can also provide some comfort for those seeking emotional support or help to complete day-to-day tasks that they can no longer do alone. Palliative services may be useful not only for patients with advanced illnesses but for their loved ones as well. These services are available for patients at home, in care facilities, hospitals, or clinics. 

Some of the illnesses that often require palliative care include the following:

In addition, some of the symptoms that palliative care can help alleviate include:

  • Anxiety
  • Constipation
  • Depression
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue 
  • Pain
  • Nausea and vomiting

When to Consider Palliative Care

Patients and their families should consider palliative care whenever they are facing serious illnesses, regardless of their age or stage of the disease. Comfort care is particularly beneficial when curative treatment options are limited, as it provides comprehensive pain and symptom management, emotional support, and guidance in making informed healthcare decisions. By engaging in advanced illness care early in the disease trajectory, patients can experience improved comfort, reduced stress, and enhanced communication with their medical team.

Remember that palliative care does not mean you should lose hope or that death is near. Because the main goal is comfort, palliative services simply provides relief from the worst symptoms of the disease. Receiving any type of comfort care does not necessarily mean there are no options left. In fact, patients can receive palliative services alongside their treatment, and the care may stop when and if a person recovers. 

Dedicated Palliative Care in Virginia

Feeling comfortable and having control over the type of care you receive can make a huge difference in the lives of patients with advanced illnesses and their loved ones. At Capital Caring Health, we know how difficult it can be to live with a serious illness and work to help better the lives of our patients. Our experienced and caring team of over 50 healthcare professionals in locations like Alexandria, Arlington, and Frederick are prepared to help you find the care options that fit your needs best. 

When solutions are available that can help make everyday life more comfortable, no person should have to deal with the pain of living with an advanced illness. Finding the care that meets your needs can be a difficult part of living with illness or being a caregiver for someone with an illness. Contact us today to learn more about how our palliative care services in Virginia can help those with an advanced illness.

Virginia Locations

Arlington, Virginia

3180 Fairview Park Drive, Suite 500

Falls Church, VA 22042

Alexandria, Virginia

3180 Fairview Park Drive, Suite 500

Falls Church, VA 22042

Falls Church, Virginia

Capital Caring Headquarters

3180 Fairview Park Drive, Suite 500

Falls Church, VA 22042

Loudoun County, Western Fairfax County, Virginia

24419 Millstream Drive

Aldie, VA 20105

Inpatient Locations

Adler Center for Caring on the Van Metre Campus 

24419 Millstream Drive 

Aldie, VA 20150

Halquist Center

4715 North 15th Street

Arlington, VA 22205

Temporarily Closed for Renovation

Reach out to one of our care experts today.