When is Palliative Care Appropriate?

Big Bend Palliative Care provides specialized medical support for people living with chronic, serious illnesses. The goal of palliative care is to ease symptoms and stress while helping patients maintain the best possible quality of life.

This support can begin at any age and at any stage of illness, even while treatment is ongoing. By working alongside a patient’s existing providers, Big Bend Palliative Care helps patients and families better understand their options and feel more supported throughout the course of care.

Culturally Competent Care
CNA holding hand of patient

When is it time to consider Palliative Care?

  • Two or more hospital admissions for the same diagnosis within 3 months (CHF, COPD, ESRD, CVA, CA, dementia with reoccurring infections), or 3+ admissions in the last 12 months.
  • Persistent, troublesome symptoms despite optimal treatment of underlying conditions.
  • Artificial nutrition/hydration requested by family or patient where patient has short anticipated survival from their underlying condition, or for dementia.
  • Significant weight loss of 5-10% over the past 3-6 months and/or a low body mass index.
  • Major function change: ambulation withwalker only, wheel-chair bound.
  • Patient or family concern regarding advanced disease progression/death and/or no knowledge of Advanced Directive.
  • Metastatic Cancer.
  • Patient is a full code with overall poor diagnosis.
  • Patient or family requests Palliative Care consultation.
Culturally Competent Care

When is it time to consider Palliative Care?

  • Two or more hospital admissions for the same diagnosis within 3 months (CHF, COPD, ESRD, CVA, CA, dementia with reoccurring infections), or 3+ admissions in the last 12 months.
  • Persistent, troublesome symptoms despite optimal treatment of underlying conditions.
  • Artificial nutrition/hydration requested by family or patient where patient has short anticipated survival from their underlying condition, or for dementia.
  • Significant weight loss of 5-10% over the past 3-6 months and/or a low body mass index.
  • Major function change: ambulation withwalker only, wheel-chair bound.
  • Patient or family concern regarding advanced disease progression/death and/or no knowledge of Advanced Directive.
  • Metastatic Cancer.
  • Patient is a full code with overall poor diagnosis.
  • Patient or family requests Palliative Care consultation.
CNA holding hand of patient

Are you ready to make a referral?

We offer a variety of ways to contact us.

Call (850) 446-1077, email contact@bigbendpalliativecare.org, or fill out our online request by clicking the link below.

Are you ready to make a referral?

We offer a variety of ways to contact us.

Call (850) 446-1077, email contact@bigbendpalliativecare.org, or fill out our online request by clicking the link below.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!