In the intricate tapestry of life, the threads of care and kindness weave incredible stories that often go unspoken.
Navigating a life-threatening illness is a journey filled with ups and downs – moments of hope intertwined with crises and challenges – but you don’t have to go through it alone. Whether you are dealing with illness or caring for a loved one, this column is for you.
In future columns, I aim to share my experiences from these Comfort Care Chronicles and explore wellness and care principles with you, as well as critical aspects of life after a serious diagnosis. Topics will include navigating the healthcare system, communicating with clinicians, making informed decisions, managing care in various settings, planning for the future, and so much more. I will also connect with experts from this industry who will help us unpack complex situations in an accessible way to equip you to deal with the road ahead. Join me next month as we delve into the first steps after a diagnosis, clarifying this often-tumultuous situation.
In sharing these stories, I hope to foster an open dialogue about care. After all, by understanding how to care for ourselves and others, we may also discover how to live more fully and, in doing so, learn how to live well.
My journey with care traces its roots back to my childhood in the Kibbutz and extends throughout my global career in healthcare, where I learned early on that caring – for ourselves and others – is both a responsibility and a privilege.
Having worked as a paramedic and caregiver, and also managing care teams in various settings – including private homes, hospitals, clinics, residential and end-of-life (also known as comfort care) facilities –
I have seen first-hand the transformative power of comfort care across the care industry. As my care career progressed, although thank G-d I don’t face any serious illness, the principles guiding comfort care have also benefited me immensely, in the most unexpected ways.
As I learned how to care for the sick, disabled, vulnerable, and dying, I discovered profound ways to enhance my own quality of life, empowering me to engage fully and meaningfully with all of life’s facets. I was most surprised to find that, whether we are healthy or ill, young or old, these universal comfort care principles hold the key to managing wellness, navigating life’s transitions, and living a fulfilling life.
Comfort care is a relatively new field of medicine that is often misunderstood – sometimes even by clinicians. Many associate it primarily with cancer patients, but the truth is that it is relevant for anyone facing life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, including; heart, kidney, and liver diseases; diabetes; and various neurological disorders such as Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia.
Comfort care is also frequently confused with hospice care; however, while hospice is primarily focused on end-of-life care, comfort care can begin at any stage of a serious illness. It is practised in various settings, including private homes, residential facilities, hospitals, outpatient clinics, and hospices, providing support throughout the illness and recovery journey – not just in the final days.
Another common misconception is that comfort care is solely for the final days of life or only relevant for older individuals. The sad reality is that comfort care patients span all ages and stages of life, from babies and children to adults and seniors.
The essence of comfort care lies in its holistic approach, focusing not just on the patient but also on the entire family and community with which they are connected. It emphasises healing alongside curing, widening the focus of treatment from disease eradication to symptom management, as well as emotional and spiritual support for the sick and their loved ones.
Self-care and self-love are essential in this journey; as we learn to nurture ourselves, we become better equipped to provide effective care for others. This is why, when comfort care is initiated from the early stages of diagnosis, it often results not only in extending life but also in enhancing the quality of life for patients, caregivers, families and communities.
A significant realisation about this discipline is that recent research shows conclusively that, although it was initially developed for end-of-life patients, when used from the early stages of diagnosis, it not only improves the quality of life but also extends it, making the care journey less traumatic and more manageable for all involved.
This resonates deeply with me, especially within our own community, where family dynamics, communal ties, and spiritual needs can be intricate. Comfort care addresses these complexities by supporting not just the body but also the mind and soul, facilitating value-based care tailored to each person and their unique ecosystem.
Reflecting on my recent experiences of comfort care for some of the most vulnerable members of our own community – the residents at Glendale Home, many of whom cope with complex and rare conditions without any family support – I found my calling: to ensure that every individual facing a life-limiting condition, along with their families and caregivers, receives the tools and strategies necessary to live their best life, no matter what challenges arise. ●
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