Modern medicine can do astonishing things. People are able to survive both injuries and illnesses that would have been certain to cause death just a few decades ago. At the same time, however, there is no doctor who can guarantee a cure in every case or who can hold off death forever. Because of this, patients and their families have to face the difficult decision of how long to continue treatment for a condition, and when it is time to Forgo Curative Care and to focus on quality of life issues instead.
The metaphor of illness as war can be motivating for many people, but it can also be damaging. People are portrayed as fighters when they are struggling with a disease, and this is meant to be encouraging. It can make them feel like they would be quitters or losers, however, for making the decision that it’s time to stop seeking a cure for that illness. The truth is, however, that there is a point where there is very little that doctors can do. When someone has become very old, is experiencing significant cognitive decline, or has an incurable and terminal illness, the situation reaches a stage where continuing to do everything possible to keep the patient alive longer is really little more than a way of extending suffering.
Exactly when it is time to Forgo Curative Care is a very personal decision. Every individual and life is unique. Someone who is trying to live long enough to make it to a relative’s wedding, or to be there for as much of a child’s life as possible, is often willing to go through treatments that are guaranteed to be painful even if they’re unlikely to work. Other people face a life situation where their disease has already taken away their ability to participate in the career or activities that are most meaningful to them, and they simply want to be able to face the final days of life with as much dignity and comfort as possible.
Serenity Hospice & Palliative Care is available for people and families who need support in transitioning from attempts at a cure to a focus on maximizing the quality of a patient’s remaining life. They have facilities for those patients who need them, but they can also send staff members out to visit homes for those who prefer to remain in a familiar environment. Get more information Here.
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