Palliative care
Short definition
Palliative care is active, holistic care that seeks to improve the quality of life of people with serious, incurable or advanced illness and of their families, by preventing and relieving physical, psychological, social and spiritual suffering.
In plain language
It is not only for the last days of life: it can start early and run alongside other treatments. It is provided by multidisciplinary teams, in inpatient units, outpatient clinics or at home. In Portugal, the Palliative Care Framework Law (Law no. 52/2012) created the National Palliative Care Network.