UW Medicine Pulse Ep1310: The Essence of Palliative Care

Palliative Care is specialized medical care for people with serious, life-shortening illnesses. Its aim is to maintain function and quality of life, relieve pain and other distressing symptoms, while neither hastening nor postponing death. Not postponing death. Therein lies the distinction between palliative care and the traditional medical approach, where typically every effort is made to postpone death, no matter the cost, whether physical, emotional or financial. On this episode of UW Medicine Pulse we meet some remarkable people who have made caring for the seriously and terminally ill their specialty; and who say, though it can be difficult, it is also inspiring and rewarding to help patients plan for the final stages of life. #PalliativeCare