ABSTRACT
Palliative care: ➤ provides relief from pain and other distressing symptoms — affi rms life and regards dying as a normal process — intends neither to hasten nor postpone death — integrates the psychological and spiritual aspects of patient care — off ers a support system to help patients live as actively as possible until death — off ers a support system to help the family cope during the patient’s illness and — in bereavement uses a team approach to address the needs of patients and their families, — including bereavement counselling, if indicated will enhance quality of life, and may also positively infl uence the course of — illness is applicable early in the course of illness, in conjunction with other therapies — that prolong life, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, and includes those investigations needed to better understand and manage distressing clinical complications.
