What's the difference between palliative care and end of life?

[HartleyHugs]

Hi, can anyone please explain the difference between palliative care and end of life care? Mum is on palliative care and has been for months, but I'm not sure what the difference is?
I'm struggling at the moment because mum is so up and down, one minute she's screaming and swearing at me the next it's a different lady. This week she's even laughed at a couple of things I have said. Her vocabulary is getting worse though some words are right but they are mixed up a lot more now with gibberish. She is still not eating much even though the carers say she is but more often than not I find the food stuck down the side of her chair or bed. She looks so frail and also has a grey tinge to her skin.
I only realised she was on palliative care recently when we did her CHC funding meeting I don't recall having a specific conversation about palliative care, many times they have said late stage Alzheimer's but I don't recall the words palliative care (I may have just been so overwhelmed and didn't take it in till now though).
I'm just confused of the difference between the 2.
Also has anyone else experienced these odd moments of their loved one being "normal" it's actually really weird this week as I'm so used to just going and being shouted at, it's still not my mum there but for brief minutes of time I see the lady she was.

 

[nitram]

I'm just confused of the difference between the 2.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/end-of-life-care/what-it-involves-and-when-it-starts/ .

Should help

 

[florencenightingale]

Hi, can anyone please explain the difference between palliative care and end of life care? Mum is on palliative care and has been for months, but I'm not sure what the difference is?
I'm struggling at the moment because mum is so up and down, one minute she's screaming and swearing at me the next it's a different lady. This week she's even laughed at a couple of things I have said. Her vocabulary is getting worse though some words are right but they are mixed up a lot more now with gibberish. She is still not eating much even though the carers say she is but more often than not I find the food stuck down the side of her chair or bed. She looks so frail and also has a grey tinge to her skin.
I only realised she was on palliative care recently when we did her CHC funding meeting I don't recall having a specific conversation about palliative care, many times they have said late stage Alzheimer's but I don't recall the words palliative care (I may have just been so overwhelmed and didn't take it in till now though).
I'm just confused of the difference between the 2.
Also has anyone else experienced these odd moments of their loved one being "normal" it's actually really weird this week as I'm so used to just going and being shouted at, it's still not my mum there but for brief minutes of time I see the lady

 

[florencenightingale]

Sorry I can't answer your question about EOL v palliative care as I just joined here hoping for similar help/ advice, but I do recognise what you said about those few moments of lucidity when the original person seems to be still there - which I find even more distressing in a way, as it's a reminder that within that unfamiliar shell of a person it is still my mother there, lying helpless like a baby, as though the last 90 years of her 91 year life has ceased to exist for her. The only small consolation I can take is that she isn't in any physical pain, and most of the time seems unaware of her situation. But I agree that having to be fed like that is just cruel. Surely if a person with advanced dementia can't or won't feed themselves with 'finger foods' that they can manage themselves, their time should be up?

 

[Dave63]

What is palliative care?

Palliative care offers physical, emotional and practical support to people with a terminal illness. It can be offered at any point after a terminal diagnosis.

www.mariecurie.org.uk

 

[Duggies-girl]

Dad was on palliative care for two years, meaning that he could have any treatment that would keep him comfortable but nothing that could cause him harm. He had terminal cancer and could not be cured but he could have antibiotics, blood transfusions or anything that would make him feel better.

If he had been younger and stronger he could have had an operation and chemo but his medical team felt that those treatments would have done more harm than good due to his frail state of health and his dementia and I agreed with them. It worked very well for dad because he had two good years with no invasive treatments but he remained healthy and happy during that time and did very well. If he had had the op or chemo it would have probably shortened the time that he had left and he certainly would not have enjoyed the time.

It is all about quality of live and I am ever thankful to dads medical team.