What palliative care means in older adults

Palliative care looks at the whole person rather than one diagnosis. A clinician may review pain, breathing, nausea, bowel function, sleep, mood, mobility, memory, relationships and spiritual concerns. The team also considers the older adult’s independence, communication style and tolerance for appointments or hospital care. Treatment can include medicines, practical strategies, counselling, equipment advice and help with future-care decisions. It may be offered at home, in a clinic, in hospital or in residential care, and can accompany treatment aimed at controlling an illness.

Ask the older adult what comfort and a good day mean to them, then share those priorities with the care team. Keep a current medicine list and record symptoms with the time they occur and what helps. Discuss who should be involved in decisions, how information should be shared and where the person would prefer to receive care. Include support for the caregiver, whose exhaustion can affect safety. A general overview is available in [Palliative Care](/treatments/supportive-and-palliative-care/palliative-care/).

Contact the treating team for a new symptom, worsening pain, increasing breathlessness, persistent vomiting, inability to swallow, sudden confusion or a fall. Seek emergency help for collapse, severe breathing difficulty, unresponsiveness, heavy bleeding or serious injury. A person with a palliative plan may have individual instructions for urgent changes; keep these accessible and tell every caregiver where they are. Do not change prescribed medicines without clinical advice.

What are the person’s main comfort priorities? Which symptoms should we report immediately? Who coordinates the team? What choices can be recorded now? How can family and caregivers receive support?