Palliative Care

Palliative care (pal-ee-a-tiv care) is a holistic approach to care that aims to relieve discomfort, symptoms, and stress caused by a serious illness. Palliative care can begin at any time during your serious illness. In this way it differs from hospice care, which is a type of palliative care for people during the last six months of life.

The goal of palliative care is to make you comfortable, improve your quality of life, and increase satisfaction with care at Olmsted Medical Center for both you and your family. Palliative care also can help reduce visits to the emergency room and/or hospital stays. Palliative care is a specialized service working in conjunction with your primary care provider.

Palliative care supports you and your loved one in your care. It helps you set goals for the future while you get treatment for your illness. We would encourage a support team of friends or family to attend these appointments.

OMC's Palliative Care team has special training to help you and your family understand: your specific health condition; options for managing troublesome symptoms; options for managing side effects of your current treatment.

Related clinicians:

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Interested in learning more about palliative care at Olmsted Medical Center? After reviewing this brochure, talk with your primary healthcare provider, call OMC’s Active Aging Services 507.287.2794.