Palliative Care for People with Progressive Neurological Disease: What is the Role?

Abstract

Although patients with neurological disease do receive palliative care the involvement of palliative care may only occur in the final stages of the illness trajectory, when communication and cognition may be affected and the influence of palliative care is limited. Palliative care services should be made available throughout the disease trajectory according to the specific needs of individual patients and their families The involvement of palliative care may be episodic throughout the disease progression as new issues emerge and as various decisions have to be made. Patients with a number of conditions may have little need for palliative care for long periods, but there will be occasions, especially as the end of life approaches, when the wider multi- disciplinary approach is required, so that their quality of life may be maintained and they are able to die peacefully.