How Paradigm Health’s Palliative Care Supports Breast Cancer Patients and Families Throughout Central Indiana
Palliative care provides crucial support not just for breast cancer patients, but for their families as well. When choosing a breast cancer palliative care provider look to see if they are offering the following personal support services:
- Emotional support – your caregiving team should be equipped to help both the patient and the family through these difficult times.
- Healthcare decision-making assistance
- Support for navigating advance directives and insurance
Paradigm Health’s palliative bridge program ensures that families with a loved one undergoing breast cancer treatments have access to the all resources they need. In addition to the above support services, our caregivers connects families with community resources like:
- Meals on Wheels
- Medication delivery services
- Accessibility modifications like wheelchair ramps
The psychological impact of breast cancer — such as anxiety, depression, and emotional distress — can be overwhelming. Palliative care offers patients and families critical emotional support through counseling, spiritual care, and psychosocial interventions. Our interdisciplinary team, including experienced social workers, provides expert guidance through the challenges of serious illness, helping families navigate this difficult journey with confidence and compassion.
Frequently Asked Questions about In-home Caregiving for Breast Cancer Patients
Tiffany Kirchner, palliative care nurse practitioner and regional director of clinical services for Paradigm Health, helps breast cancer patients throughout Central Indiana. Here she answers some frequently asked questions regarding caregiving for breast cancer patients.
What are some of the most common symptoms or challenges breast cancer patients face that palliative care helps manage?
Aside from the physical symptoms breast cancer patients may have, there are many different emotional and psychosocial aspects that affect breast cancer patients. From anxiety to depression related to hormone changes from the disease and its treatment, to body image concerns, palliative care will assist with management of both physical and emotional effects of cancer and its treatment.
What are some misconceptions you’ve encountered about palliative care for breast cancer patients? How do you address them with patients and families?
One of the biggest misconceptions for palliative care and breast cancer is that it’s too soon for palliative care. Palliative care is appropriate from the point of diagnosis, even with an early-stage breast cancer diagnosis. Earlier palliative care intervention means potential for increased, improved access to symptom management and assistance with the needed emotional support that comes along with a cancer diagnosis.
How does palliative care support breast cancer patients emotionally, beyond managing physical symptoms?
Palliative care not only assists with physical symptoms, but also palliative care clinicians take the time to listen to patient concerns about anxiety, depression, body image, financial and social needs that affect breast cancer patients.
Often, palliative care teams are multidisciplinary, so they have access to chaplains and social workers who can assist with treating the whole person,not just the cancer diagnosis. Thankfully, breast cancer patients are living longer due to advances in modern medicine. Palliative care can assist with supporting breast cancer patients along the trajectory of diagnosis through treatment, and into survivorship.
How do you collaborate with oncology teams to provide comprehensive care for breast cancer patients?
Anytime Paradigm Health works with a cancer patient (breast or other diagnosis) the oncology team plays a critical role in the care of the patient. Collaboration and discussion (often after every palliative visit) are crucial to assuring that the medications and/or interventions we are providing aren’t interfering with the cancer treatment they may be receiving. In addition, ensuring the oncology team is up to date on the psychosocial, financial, and spiritual aspects of a patient’s health is critical so they can treat the whole patient, not just his or her diagnosis.
What role does palliative care play in helping breast cancer patients navigate their treatment options and make decisions?
Paradigm Health’s palliative care team will meet with breast cancer patients to ensure that they have a voice and a choice in their treatment decisions. Breast cancer patients have a lot of options with treatment, and it can be overwhelming. Our team can meet with the patient to review their goals for therapy (life prolongation, comfort, quality of life) and discuss how their treatment may allow them to achieve these goals.
To find out more about Paradigm Health’s holistic palliative care program and how it can help breast cancer patients, call us at 317-735-6001 or visit http://myparadigmhealth.com.
