Palliative Care – A Quality of Life Program

Live life your way, on your own terms.

Palliative care is not end-of-life care. Palliative care helps maximize the quality of your life through advanced decision making and symptom control.

We shape your care to relieve symptoms, provide comfort, and ease stress and anxiety, so you can enjoy what matters most to you.

We shape your care for the life you want – and the quality you deserve.

As part of our integrated Care At Home Program, our Palliative Care – A Quality of Life Program works as an extension of your current medical team to enhance the care you need to live life on your terms. Our dedicated team is there when you need us the most, helping you explore options for managing pain and discomfort and adapting your support to honor your wishes and priorities as your condition evolves.

Our support services include pain and symptom management, family meetings and outpatient care. We can help guide you and your family through tough conversations and difficult decisions gently, clearly and respectfully.

Services and Care

Catholic Health palliative care specialists help you manage nausea, fatigue, depression, anxiety and more. We focus on relieving your symptoms, pain and stress that can accompany a chronic condition. We also provide emotional and spiritual support for your caregivers and family members.

Services are available through Good Shepherd Hospice, Catholic Health Home Care, and all Catholic Health hospitals and skilled nursing facilities across Long Island.

Pain and Symptom Management

Our physicians and nurse practitioners are experts in the management of pain and other distressing symptoms associated with illness or treatments, such as shortness of breath, fatigue, constipation, nausea, loss of appetite and difficulty sleeping.

Family Meetings

The family meeting is an opportunity for you and your family to share concerns, ask questions and provide information to help clarify your wishes for care. Enhancing communication helps to ensure that your needs are being fully met. The goal of our palliative care team is to support you throughout this journey.

Outpatient Care

Symptom management and supportive care services are offered at an outpatient center or your home. This allows our team to address your individual needs earlier in the course of the illness.

Our outpatient program specializes in managing symptoms associated with illness and treatments, while providing you with guidance and emotional support when making important decisions about your care.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between palliative and hospice care? 

Palliative care is appropriate for patients in any stage of serious illness to control symptoms, relieve suffering, and promote quality of life. This care can be delivered at the same time as curative treatments.  

Hospice care is offered in the final stages of life when a cure is not possible, or an illness no longer responds to curative treatment. Additionally, a person’s life expectancy is anticipated to be less than six months.  

Who can be helped by Palliative Care, a Quality of Life program?

Palliative care is for anyone who has a serious illness or health problem. Care is available as soon as you are diagnosed with a serious illness or health problem such as heart, lung or kidney disease, cancer or some forms of dementia. 

Do you provide support for families and caregivers?  

Yes. The diagnosis of a serious illness is a major life-changing event for you and your loved ones. Our team provides emotional support and education to your family and friends. Palliative care can be provided simultaneously with home care services.

Are there meetings with the family?

We offer family meetings to share concerns, ask questions, and provide information to help clarify your wishes for care.  

Who pays for Palliative Care, a Quality of Life program?   

Medicare, Medicaid and most private insurances.