The first goal of palliative care is to provide as much physical comfort as possible. It is impossible to enjoy the company of family and friends if you are in severe pain, nauseated or short of breath. The aim of palliative care is to make you physically comfortable so you can think beyond the physical to your emotional and spiritual health. Western society does not want to talk or think about death. Our medical technology has removed dying and death from our homes, where it used to be a part of life.
Death now occurs mostly in the hospital where it can be ignored and minimized.
However, during the past thirty years the palliative care and hospice movement has gained strength. It is a movement to rediscover the lost meaning of the healthcare professional as a person who cares for another person - the whole person, not just their disease. Unfortunately, palliative care in the hospital or home is often not available to those who need it. Symptoms such as anxiety, depression , shortness of breath and fatigue are sometimes overlooked or ignored by healthcare professionals. The greatest fear for those facing the end of their life is being alone.