Cancer patients often suffer physically, psychologically, and spiritually. Therefore, holistic care for these patients is often demanding. The hospice and palliative cooperative care model combines the patient’s original medical team together with the hospice palliative medical team, in order to provide hospice palliative medical service to terminal cancer patients both in the hospice unit and in other wards. In addition to solving physical sufferings, we also attend to the emotional, psychosocial, and spiritual problems of the patients.We also have concern for their family members.
Characteristics
The hospice and palliative cooperative care model provides a holistic medical care to the patients and their family. The cooperative care is offered during the whole process of the disease and is provided by the holistic medical team to help the patients and family to confront disease and death peacefully.
“Holistic patient”
The hospice and palliative cooperative care model does not only alleviate the physical sufferings, but also takes care of the psychological, spiritual and family social aspects of the patients.
“Holistic family”
When a patient in the family is ill , the whole family has to face it. Therefore, medical care is not only for the patient, but also for their family.
“Whole process”
The hospice and palliative cooperative care is provided from the early stage of the disease until the patient passes away and is also extended in helping to alleviate the sorrow of the family.
“Whole team”
The team includes physicians, nurses, social workers, chaplains, psychologists and other professionals.
Services from the Hospice Palliative Cooperative Care Model
- Physical problems:
Pain, nausea, vomiting, dyspnea, poor appetite, chronic wound, abdominal distention, edema, constipation, insomnia…
- Psychosocial problems:
Depression, anxiety, problems in interpersonal relationships, adjustment to death and dying,economic difficulty…
- Spiritual problems:
Loss of the meaning and value of life, spirit not at peace , particular religious needs…
- Others:
Communications about disease, signing permit for “do not resuscitate”, dying preparation, dying care…