Palliative Care
Holy Cross Hospital provides palliative care for all hospitalized patients with serious, life-limiting illnesses such as cancer, congestive heart failure, chronic lung disease and end-stage kidney disease, as well as those coping with dementia.
Jaya Vijayan, MD |
Our goal is simple: Help ensure that you or your seriously ill loved one achieves the best possible quality of life by respecting each person’s dignity, promoting comfort, and easing the burden of serious illness. Among dozens of programs for palliative care in Maryland, the Greater Washington Partnership for Palliative and End-of-Life Care has recognized ours with its Outstanding Palliative Care Award.
The multidisciplinary palliative care department team of physicians, nurse practitioners, social workers, spiritual care providers, pharmacologists and pain management specialists works closely with your attending physician and the nursing staff to support you or your loved one, as well as the entire family. We take a holistic approach to care to reduce the suffering and anxiety you may face during a serious illness.
If you or your loved one requires chronic illness care, we will develop a plan of advanced illness management to meet your medical, emotional, spiritual and social needs. We can also help you or your loved one at the end-of-life, as well as help those of you caring for the terminally ill cope with the difficult choices you may face.
The Palliative Care team at Holy Cross acts as an advocate for you or your loved one, consulting with you, your family and caregivers on critical issues such as:
- Advanced care planning—pain control and end-of-life symptom management
- Education for patients and families
- Helping patients make decisions about appropriate treatments and therapies
- Emotional and spiritual support for patients and families
- Healthy-aging programs
- At-home nursing care
- Short stay rehabilitation and residential nursing care
- Hospice care