LifeCare Medical Center has added Palliative Care to its chronic disease management program thanks to a year of hard work and research by a team of dedicated LifeCare staff.
     As a way of managing life limiting chronic illnesses, palliative care relieves suffering and improves quality of life for the individual and family members.
     Examples of life limiting illness include the likes of lung disease, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, kidney disease, dementia, and neurological disorders.
     Unlike hospice care, which provides end-of-life comfort care, palliative care is appropriate during any stage of a serious illness and can be provided along with curative treatment.
     Shawny Elyk-Prevost is a leader of LifeCare’s Palliative Care Initiative. She is also LifeCare’s Hospice Coordinator, so she understands the difference.
     “Palliative care is not about stopping treatment. It’s an active approach designed to manage symptoms and support the individual,” she says. “It covers physical, cultural, spiritual, psychological, and social aspects.”
     Palliative care customizes treatment to meet the needs of each individual.
     “Some are seeking relief from pain. Others, anxiety or shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite or other symptoms,” she says.

Local Collaboration
     Palliative care provides several options in terms of how an individual manages life limiting chronic illness.
     “This is a brand new community based program partnered between LifeCare and other local healthcare providers,” says Milly Prachar, LifeCare’s Senior Leader of Performance Improvement.
     The development team included staff members from LifeCare’s Home Care and Hospice, Long Term Care, Acute Care, Emergency, Infusion Therapy, Altru Clinic, and LifeCare Social Services.
     “We are excited about the program and the service we’re able to provide,” Prachar says. “After so many months of groundwork, we are thrilled to begin.”
     In 2008, LifeCare applied for and was named one of 10 rural Minnesota healthcare providers to participate in a palliative care pilot program.
     That program was developed by Stratis Health, a non-profit organization founded in 1971 to lead collaborative and innovative efforts in health care quality and safety.
     A trusted expert in facilitating improvement for people and communities, Stratis Health selected LifeCare and healthcare providers in Bemidji, New Ulm, Olivia, Red Wing, Staples, Waconia, Wadena, Willmar and Winona as a testing ground for the new palliative care initiative.
At least 25 additional rural Minnesota healthcare providers also applied, indicating the strong interest and need to develop palliative care services to support rural communities everywhere.
     The effort, which was designed to assist rural communities with mentoring and research, was followed up with a community service grant from the Department of Health and Human Services.
     “The Stratis Health collaborative gave us a jump start on how the program might work,” says Prachar. “The grant helped get the program rolling.”

Goals of Palliative Care
Palliative care follows a team approach that includes the person and family members to make sure physical, emotional, and spiritual needs are met.
     A palliative care team is composed of a physician, specialist, nurse, social worker, chaplain, and others as needed.
     In addition to other positive aspects, the ultimate goal of palliative care is for the affected person to achieve the best quality of life possible.

To learn more about receiving palliative care, talk to your physician or call LifeCare Home Care at (218) 463-3211.

New Workshop: Living Well with Chronic Conditions Workshop leaders Carol Comstock (left) and LifeCare's Colleen Klamar help coach individuals on how to improve their quality of life while living with chronic conditions. For most of her adult life, Debra didn't worry much about her health.  Then at 67, she was diagnosed with diabetes and high blood pressure.  She tried to follow her doctor's advice to take her medications, exercise, and eat better.  But often she was tired and even a little depressed.      "I figured it was just part of getting older," she recalls.      Then she heard about the six-week workshop at LifeCare called Living Well with Chronic Conditions.      Developed at Stanford University, the workshop has been offered at hundreds of locations throughout the country.  It helps participants live with ongoing health conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and anxiety.      Taught by specially trained volunteer leaders--some with health conditions themselves--the program covers a new topic each week and provides opportunities for interaction and group problem solving. "We're really more like coaches," says LifeCare's Colleen Klamar. "The answer to someone's question is usually in the room."      Class sized are limited to 15 pople.  To enroll in an upcoming summer workshop, call Klamar at (218) 463-4751.