Palliative Care

Palliative care’s goal is to improve the quality of life of a patient by providing expert care in addressing uncontrolled symptoms resulting from the diagnosis and treatment of a serious disease such as pain, fatigue, nausea, constipation, shortness of breath, insomnia etc.

Our team members work closely with your healthcare providers and other specialists such as dietitians, pharmacist, home health providers, chaplains to ensure that your treatment help you achieve the highest possible quality of life.

Coping with serious illness can affect other aspects of life. A dedicated social worker is available to patients and caregivers for guidance and referrals to local support and community resources that can help deal with socioeconomic challenges brought upon by the serious illness.

Anxiety, depression, trauma and other overwhelming emotions can be experienced when coping with a serious illness. Palliative care offers a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) who can provide individual and family counseling to patients and family/caregivers to help them overcome these challenges.

Clarifying your healthcare goals is key to appropriate and patient-centered care. Our team can assist in exploring your healthcare wishes and how this pertains to your serious illness. Our team can also help you identify an appropriate Power of Attorney for healthcare and guide you in completing an Advance Healthcare Directive.

Learn More About Advance Care Planning

At Torrance Memorial, our palliative care specialists understand that caring for a loved one with a serious illness presents unique challenges. We encourage all caregivers to practice self-care and provide resources and information to help them stay strong and healthy - so they can better support their loved one during his or her treatment.

Palliative care provides an extra layer of support for patients who are living with a serious illness. The goal is to improve quality of life and address physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs using an interdisciplinary, holistic approach. Palliative care can:

• Help you understand your condition
• Provide you with options that allow you to achieve your health care goals
• Relieve symptoms associated with your illness or treatment
• Ease your stress

Palliative care benefits extend to the patient’s loved ones and offer them access to resources and emotional support.

Hospice care is received only at the end of life when curative or life-prolonging treatment has stopped.

Palliative care can be provided at any time during a serious or life-threatening illness and can be delivered alongside curative medical treatments.

Yes! Palliative care can be delivered alongside curative medical treatments in collaboration with members of your healthcare team.

Palliative care services include treating symptoms associated with your illness or its treatment, managing mental health concerns such as depression and anxiety, assisting with advance care planning, and providing social support, caregiver support, and referrals for community services.

If you or your loved one is living with a serious illness and having difficulty managing symptoms or side effects of treatment, palliative care could be the right choice. It may also be beneficial if you or your loved one needs emotional, mental health, or spiritual support, or help with understanding what to expect regarding illness progression and treatment options.

The first step in determining whether palliative care is right for you is to discuss it with your medical team. You can also take a short quiz to determine if palliative care may be beneficial.

If your medical team agrees that palliative care could help, call 310-784-4880 to schedule a consultation with one of our skilled providers.

Palliative care can benefit:

• Patients who are living with a serious illness, such as advanced cancer, congestive heart failure, end-stage renal disease, dementia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, neurological diseases, or HIV/AIDS.
• Patients who have uncontrolled symptoms associated with their illness or treatment.
• Patients and families who wish to discuss advance care planning.
• Caregivers and loved ones who require additional social support.

Palliative care typically begins with a consultation with a palliative care specialist. During this meeting, you will discuss your symptoms and options for symptom control. You may also discuss your condition, your prognosis, treatment options, and your wishes regarding future medical care.

Based on your consultation, your palliative care specialist will develop a plan to improve your quality of life and address your physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. If you are receiving curative treatment, your palliative care provider will work with your medical team to implement your palliative care plan by arranging for inpatient, outpatient, or home-based services and coordinating care when needed.

Your palliative care provider will assist you throughout your illness, adjusting your palliative care plan as your condition and care needs change. Your palliative care provider will also be available to discuss advance care planning and can provide you with information about end-of-life care if required.

Most insurance plans cover palliative care. If you have specific questions about your coverage, contact your health insurance provider directly or call our office at 310-784-4880.

No. Our palliative care providers will work with your current healthcare team to provide you with the supportive care you need.

Home-based palliative care services are available if you are unable to travel to our clinic to receive outpatient palliative care services. To inquire about home-based palliative care, call 310-784-4800.