Palliative care is an added layer of support to help you and your loved ones live with a serious illness.

Palliative care improves your quality of life and may help you live longer.

In a study of people with advanced cancer, those who got palliative care early reported better control of pain and other symptoms. People who got palliative care had a better quality of life and less depression. They also lived longer and spent less time in the hospital than those receiving only standard treatments.

For more information visit virtualhospice.ca

Plan Ahead! Don’t wait until you are sick to start advance care planning conversations

• Advance care planning helps you think about, talk about and document wishes for health care in the event that you become incapable of consenting to or refusing medical treatments or other care.
• Choose a loved one, family member or friend to communicate your wishes for you, should you become too unwell to make decisions for yourself. Talking to that person as well as your doctor and the rest of your family will help ensure your wishes are known and will help your loved ones make treatment decisions on your behalf.
• Put your plans in writing.
• Some people and their doctors put off talking about their wishes and values for health care. This puts you at risk of being too ill to guide your doctors and may increase the uncertainty and burden that your loved ones feel.

Start today, for province specific information, visit: advancecareplanning.ca

Conditions: Terminal Illness (Terminally Ill, Terminal Disease), End of Life (Death, Dying).

Treatments: Palliative Care, Hospice.