Palliative and end-of-life care is an approach to care for adults and children diagnosed with a serious illness, often called a life-limiting illness. This approach to care focuses on helping you to be comfortable and have the best quality of life possible, whether you have months or a couple of years left. Palliative care focuses on relieving symptoms such as pain that may come with a serious illness.
The Palliative and end-of-life care team works with you, your family, friends, and caregivers, and your healthcare team. Your healthcare team could include a family doctor, nurse practitioner, or specialists. Everyone works together to make healthcare decisions that are right for you and that you choose.
In Alberta, a framework has been developed to make palliative and end-of-life care services more efficient and readily available. The
Palliative and End-of-Life Care Framework helps strengthen and improve access to these services for all the people of Alberta, wherever and whenever they need it.
When does it start?
Palliative and end-of-life care may start at the time you are diagnosed with a serious illness, all the way through to the time after death, including bereavement support for your family. Palliative and end-of-life care may be part of your life's journey but you can make your wishes about healthcare known at any time through
advance care planning.
Who is it for?
Palliative and end-of-life care supports you and your family through your whole illness. It's not only for people who are close to dying from a serious illness such as cancer or heart failure. It's also for people who have months to years of life, with illnesses that don't get better or may get worse over time. These life-limiting conditions could include lung, kidney, or heart disease or concerns related to aging.
Your healthcare team works with you to access the programs and services you need to get the most quality out of life. Your goals and wishes are always considered for these decisions.
People can live for many years with a chronic disease. Palliative and end-of-life care gives extra support at all stages of a chronic illness, not just near the end-of- life.
Palliative and end-of-life care also supports your family and caregivers. These supports may include:
- helping you understand and manage the details of your care
- breaks from being a caregiver (respite care)
- information on what to expect as a loved one reaches the end-of-life
- counselling and support before and after a death
What type of services are offered?
Your palliative and end-of-life care depends on your wishes and goals. Through advance care planning you can make decisions and choices about your healthcare. These decisions about your care can be made at any time, not only if you need palliative care.
Palliative care can help you and your family:
- understand what to expect from your illness
- discuss your
goals of care and what your wishes are
- make informed decisions about where you'd like to be cared for as your illness and needs change (your home, hospice, continuing care, or hospital)
- to live and feel as well as possible
- manage your pain and other symptoms such as nausea or breathing problems
- with volunteer support for you if available in your area (for example, making meals or running errands)
- give emotional and spiritual support
- explore financial help if needed
- answer questions about the end-of-life such as
organ and tissue donation or funeral plans
- connect to grief and bereavement services
Some palliative care services may be different depending on where you live in Alberta. Find out what services are offered near you.
Learn more
Stories and videos about palliative and end-of-life care:
- Read stories about how palliative and end-of-life care is making a difference for people in Alberta.
- Watch Palliative Care: You are a bridge: This video shows how the palliative and end-of-life care team is there to give you an extra layer of support during your illness.
- Watch
What everyone should know about palliative care: This video talks about how palliative care isn’t giving up or stopping all treatment. It can help manage the stress and symptoms of living with a serious illness.
- Learning module Understanding palliative care: Learn from Albertans receiving palliative care and explore more about what palliative care is and what types of support it can offer.
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Advance care planning
