Palliative care aims to improve the quality of life for people suffering from serious illnesses. This involves methods to alleviate symptoms, reduce pain, and ease emotional distress. Most people who seek out palliative care are dealing with terminal diseases, such as cancer or dementia. However, it can be helpful at any stage of an illness, even when there is still hope of a cure by other means. In some cases, palliative care is used to alleviate the side effects of treatments such as chemotherapy, which can help you tolerate more aggressive or longer-term treatment.