Palliative Care
Palliative care, also known as supportive care, is patient and family-centered care that helps anticipate, prevent, and treat suffering and pain.
Palliative care starts at the time of diagnosis and involves addressing physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs. You can receive supportive care at the same time that you're receiving treatment for your illness. It aims to get patients the information they need to make the best choices for themselves. Early involvement of palliative care improves quality of life.
The Palliative Care Team
When you have a serious illness, you have many challenges that can be stressful. Serious illness can affect every part of your life. The Palliative Care Team at UI Health includes a physician, nurse practitioner, chaplain, and social worker to provide extra help to you and your family while facing serious medical ailments.
Ask your doctor if you think you can benefit from meeting with the Supportive Care Team. You don't have to give up any parts of your medical care, and you will remain in control of your treatment decisions.
- Tanjeev Kaur, MD – Medical Director of the Palliative Care
- Siavash Azarnia – Clinical Physician Palliative Care
- Minti V. Shah, DO - Palliative Medicine Physician
- Anthony C. Sanchez, MD - Palliative Medicine Physician
- Miriam Correa, MSN, AGPCNP-BC – Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
- Khadijat A. Adeniyi – Advanced Practice Registered Nurse
- Lorraine Aguada, MSN, FNP-BC - Palliative Medicine APRN
- Lauren Ivory-Smyk, MDiv, BCC – Chaplain
- Elizabeth Harding, M. Div, LCSW – Chaplain
- Christopher Wetherspoon, BS – Chaplain
- Alexis N. Ocon, LCSW– Social Worker
- Matthew Sommers, LCSW– Social Worker
Our Providers
-
Khadijat Adeniyi, MSN, RN, FNP-BC
Supportive Care -
Lorraine Aguada, MSN, FNP-BC
Supportive Care -
Alexis Alvarado, MSW, LSW
Supportive Care -
Siavash Azarnia, MD
Supportive Care -
Miriam Correa, MSN, AGPCNP-BC
Supportive Care -
Elizabeth Harding, M.Div, LCSW
Spiritual Care -
Lauren Ivory-Smyk, M.Div, BCC
Supportive Care -
Tanjeev Kaur, MD
Geriatrics -
Anthony Sanchez, MD
Supportive Care -
Minti Shah, DO, MA
Supportive Care -
Matthew Sommers, LCSW
Supportive Care
Our Services
The Palliative Care Team can provide the following types of support and more:
- Hold family meetings to clarify treatment options and prognosis after talking with the doctors involved in your care.
- Reduce pain, shortness of breath, anxiety, nausea, and constipation.
- Help you make decisions about the goals of your care, including feeding tubes, breathing machines, and CPR.
- Provide support for you and your family to cope with changes in daily activities and get the needed support upon returning home, including homemakers, home health nurses, and hospice (if appropriate and if desired).
- Assist with emotional and spiritual needs during a prolonged or and stressful illness.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the difference between palliative care and supportive care?
Palliative Care is simply another way of saying Supportive Care.
Palliative care emphasizes the broad scope of the services provided by a palliative care team and is helpful to people with the most serious illnesses. It is usually provided in the hospital or clinic but can also be provided in the home setting.
2. Is hospice the same as palliative care?
Hospice is not the same as palliative care, but is another type of supportive care that is paid for by Medicare and many other health insurance companies to help patients with life-limiting illnesses. It is usually provided at the person's home, but can also be provided at assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and inpatient settings. Suppprovidersortive care is available at any time during a person's illness. Hospice care focuses on a person's final months of life.
3. Who pays for palliative care?
Medicare, Medicaid, and most insurance plans typically cover palliative care.
4. Can I keep my regular doctor if I receive palliative care?
Yes, palliative care is an added service (provided by a specialized team) to help primary doctors and patients facing serious illnesses. Your regular doctor will continue to direct your care. The Palliative Care Team and your regular doctor will work as partners to provide you with the best care available.
Our Locations
University of Illinois Hospital,
1740 W. Taylor St.
Chicago, IL 60612
312.413.8728
