Palliative and End of Life Care for Non-Cancer Illness

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. This type of care works with​ people's family doctor and specialist as they're being treated for chronic illness. It helps to give people the best quality of life possible so people and their families can live a more settled and peaceful life.

Living with a chronic disease can be harder some days than others. People may need to be in the hospital for a short time, and it can be tough on people and their caregivers. Sometimes medicine can help treat a chronic disease, and sometimes other therapies are a better choice. Palliative and end of life care helps people with chronic diseases to look at their options. It focuses on people's comfort, no matter what health problems a disease may cause. Care teams work to:

• treat symptoms using medicine and other therapies
• help people feel more positive
• help with fears and anxiety
• show what community supports are out there
• teach about care options
• make sure all caregivers know what the person wants and needs
• explain how the health ​care system works

Learn more about some of the issues that people with chronic diseases face, and how palliative and end of life care can help.

• Nervous System Disease
• Heart Disease
• Lung Disease
• Kidney Disease
• Liver Disease
• Autoimmune Disease
• Blood Disease
• Dementia​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​