South Portland, ME Palliative Care Provider

Palliative care is person-centered, family-focused care that provides relief from the symptoms, side effects and stress of a serious illness. The primary goal is to improve the patient's and family's quality of life.

People facing a serious disease may receive palliative care after obtaining a physician's referral and order. Heart disease, cancer, respiratory illness, Alzheimer's/dementia, renal disease, chronic liver disease and diabetes are some commonly treated conditions. According to the World Health Organization, pain and difficulty breathing are the two most frequent and serious symptoms that palliative care addresses.

Nurse practitioners provide an initial consultation and follow-up visits to address the patient's pain and symptoms. The nurse practitioner works in collaboration with our social workers and medical director, as well as your healthcare providers.

Palliative care is available wherever you call home. For some, this is a private residence. Others may receive palliative care in a nursing home, hospital or other facility.

A serious diagnosis can involve painful and upsetting physical symptoms as well as emotional distress. Palliative care focuses on helping you manage these challenges, so that you and your family can experience more peace of mind and better quality of life. Some of the symptoms we can help with include pain, shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, fatigue and insomnia.

• The Initial Assessment – A palliative nurse practitioner will conduct a pain and symptom assessment, check vital signs, discuss care needs and create a plan of care.
• Follow-Up Visits – In subsequent visits, the nurse practitioner will help monitor and manage pain and other symptoms, and work with a social worker to help with planning and emotional support. Your follow-up visits may last between 30 minutes and 1.5 hours, depending on your needs. Typically, you will receive 1-2 visits per month and on an as-needed basis.
• Coordination of Care – The palliative team will collaborate with your other healthcare providers to help ensure you receive coordinated care and safe, seamless transitions of care as needed.

Our team is trained to administer pain-relieving medications for debilitating pain from cancer and other illnesses, in coordination with your doctor. The goal is to help you feel as comfortable as possible.