Palliative care is specialized medical care for people living with a serious illness like cancer, congestive heart failure, Alzheimer’s and so on. This type of care is focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of the illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family.

Palliative care physicians are trained to help people manage physical, psychological, social, and emotional needs. They assist people and their families with making decisions related to the illnesses.

Palliative care physicians focus on treating people holistically (in both body and mind) and improving their quality of life by managing pain as well as side effects of treatment. They often work with a team that may include nurses, social workers, counsellors, pharmacists, and volunteers.