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Journalism of Courage
Any kind of health setback can take a toll on a person physically, mentally and emotionally, and also on their caregivers. Cancer, especially, can bring about many challenges. Breast cancer, for instance, is seen as an aggressive form of cancer that is quite common in the world. Dr Vishal Sehgal, president, Portea Medical says during treatment as well as in cases where the cancer leads to complications, women require “all-round support in the form of palliative care”.
What is palliative care?
Dr Sehgal describes palliative care as “specialised”, covering various aspects of the patient’s needs at different points. It focuses on pain relief, management of symptoms, and other emotional and spiritual aspects. “The idea is to improve their quality of care in the early stages and become a support system for the patient and their family and caregivers in the advanced phase,” says the expert.
What do treatment and management look like?
“There are different treatment options for women with breast cancer; some include surgery, chemotherapy and radiation. All or most of these have side effects such as extreme pain, nausea, fatigue, breathing issues, and even depression,” says Dr Sehgal.
Psychological needs
According to the doctor, while the oncologist is the expert at treating the condition, treatment is only one part of breast cancer care as patients tend to struggle with psychological issues and other challenges, too.
“For those in whom the condition is in the early stages, the aim of palliative care is to help them get back to normalcy. A recent study suggests that in women with metastatic breast cancer, consultation with a palliative care team reduced depression rates and improved their quality of life,” he adds.
Emotional and spiritual needs
There are times when a patient undergoing treatment experiences existential crisis; this is where spiritual care comes in. “Advanced breast cancer treatment can substantially impact a patient’s psychosocial well-being. The disease can make people question their faith. Professionals who are a part of the palliative care community can help patients make sense of their thoughts and gain acceptance of their condition,” the doctor says.
He adds that there are also other things to be taken care of, too, such as financial and legal issues, or insurance, and many families find it difficult to understand the language. “This is another area where palliative care provides assistance.”
How it helps caregivers
Owing to the ever-changing needs of the patient, their caregivers can become overwhelmed due to all the extra responsibilities. “Add to this, their other obligations and housework, etc. All this can add to ‘caregiver stress’. Palliative care specialists can help caregivers cope with these emotions and stress, and offer support.”
The doctor adds that today, home healthcare companies are making it possible for those with terminal conditions like breast cancer to undertake palliative care in the comfort of their homes.
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