Due to advances in medicine, many people with chronic illnesses like heart disease, diabetes and cognitive impairment live for years. Because of this, the medical community is beginning to address palliative care for individuals with serious illness. However the general community is relatively unaware of hospice and end of life care and the benefits related to pain management and comfort. Some families are hesitant to discuss this type of care because they believe it means an individual has given up on life. This is not the case as palliative care can actually improve quality of life by managing pain during the last months of an individual’s life.
