A Patient’s Guide to Kidney Disease and Palliative Care
Living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) is difficult to manage, especially if you have to do it alone. It requires recurring laboratory tests for monitoring, occasional assistance for walking, pain mitigation, and medication management. Most of the time, most patients request their loved one’s help daily, but they have their own busy schedules to manage, which is why palliative care is the most preferred and practical solution. Use this guide to have a better understanding of what you can expect from it.
What Is Palliative Care and How Does It Work for CKD Patients?
Palliative care is a kind of medical intervention meant to help patients with intense healthcare conditions like CKD. Since most of these diseases are often either incurable or hard to heal from, the palliative treatment professionals are more concerned about the patient’s convenience to reduce stress, preserve steady mobility, and extend lifespan.
The main client in this scenario may be the patient, but it can also concern the family and friends, primarily to oversee personal obligations and meet socio-emotional needs. Even the kidney doctor and other professionals may need to step in to oversee major clinical and hospital visits.
What Are the Main Benefits of Palliative Care for CKD Patients?
The key to bettering from CKD is to enhance your body’s natural regenerative properties to give it a fighting chance against the kidney’s decreasing functionalities. Of course, all this depends on the stage of kidney failure you are experiencing and the prescribed lifestyle changes determined by your doctor. With palliative care, here are some benefits you can get:
- Fosters effective communication between patients, their respective healthcare professionals, and other concerned parties CKD can be unpredictable, and you may need immediate medical attention, meaning you have to get in touch with your overseeing physician and brief the relatives about what is going on. With palliative care professionals by your side, all this is taken care of while you focus on getting better. They can also discuss with overseeing healthcare professionals about your condition, ensuring your well-being is accounted for during your stay at the hospital or home for transitional care.
- Removes the stress that goes into 24-hour care Staying in a hospital or specialized clinic can get expensive, and the staff often do not have time to provide care for you since they also have other patients. The most cost-effective solution would be to seek palliative care since they have the facilities and dedicated staff to look after you. They are even licensed to do on-site laboratory and radiology services for convenient tracking.
- Meets mental health and emotional needs The brain is a powerful organ, and it can easily affect your coping mechanisms during intensive situations, like dealing with CKD. Fortunately, your palliative care experts can offer massages, talk therapy, and other useful methods to put your mind at ease. They can also work with your psychiatrist to determine the best course of action in preventing and managing mental health issues.
Living with kidney problems for a long time is challenging, but you can overcome it with your loved one’s support and palliative treatment. It is just a matter of considering the basics and ensuring the provider meets your every need to make daily life as comfortable as possible. Just refer to the relevant information mentioned above and see to it that you connect with a reliable provider like us!
Morristown HC can provide you with the best palliative care Morristown has to offer for CKD patients like you. Our team of nursing and healthcare professionals can offer a range of medical treatment options to manage your symptoms and ease pain, such as onsite radiology services and medication management. Contact us today to schedule your personal tour at 973-359-5113 or register online through our website!