Paliatívna medicína a liečba bolesti 2/2008

Psychological aspects of palliative care

Palliative care is a complex system of care for patients whose illness cannot be cured. An important objective of palliative care is to ensure the best possible quality of life for such patient, reduce the symptoms associated with the illness and reduce patient’s suffering and pain. Palliative care focuses on every need of an ill patient. This means not just physical needs but also emotional, spiritual and social ones. The fact of a terminal illness has a profound effect on the patient’s psychological wellbeing. The most significant factor influencing how a patient receives palliative care is related to the quality of the doctor-patient relationship and communication which can be either therapeutic or traumatizing. Psychological care provided as support, guidance, consultancy or psychotherapy and closely related to patient’s needs is a very important part of palliative care.

Keywords: mental status of incurable patient, psychological aid and consultation, psychoterapy of patienst with incurable diseases.