Controlling Pain and Symptoms

Lenity Light Hospice’s primary goal is to control pain and symptoms in our patients. We focus on symptom control so patients can stay alert and enjoy life to the fullest extent possible. We monitor pain continuously as every single member of our staff is trained to identify pain and discomfort.

Physicians and nurses combine their efforts to treat symptoms aggressively

Our focus is on palliative and comfort care. Our staff are experts who are highly trained and have received additional certifications in palliative and hospice care. Our experts aggressively treat symptoms to reduce discomfort. These symptoms include:

  • Pain
  • Nausea and Vomiting
  • Confusion / Delirium
  • Anxiety
  • Shortness of breath
  • Constipation
  • Diarrhea
  • Infections (UTIs or Pneumonias)
  • Wounds
  • And many others.

Pain is very individual and varies with the type and extent of disease.

Lenity Light Hospice uses the Total Pain Principle championed by Dr. Cicely Saunders, the founder of the modern day hospice movement. We feel pain is more than just physical pain and BOTH physical as well as emotional, social, psychological pain needs to be addressed.

We are experts at addressing physical pain stemming from underlying cancer pain, bone pain, nerve pain, chronic pain, inflammatory pain, etc. We take it further by also addressing the other aspects of pain to help get you feeling better.

By focusing on Total Pain, we are able to address the different symptoms with specific medications and therapies for the most effective results. We review and optimize medications based on the patient’s situation with primary focus on improving the patient’s quality of life and reduction of suffering.

No single drug or therapy is the best treatment for all symptoms. An accurate assessment is needed and an individualized care plan must be developed to properly address symptoms and achieve optimal control.

Symptoms change as patient conditions change. Lenity Light Hospice’s physicians understand this and are extremely aggressive in their efforts to get patients comfortable quickly and safely. If medications are not working, we will change them or the approach to treatment to seek relief fast.

Patients and families are in charge of their care plans and are encouraged to discuss treatment responses and desired outcomes with the care team. We encourage review of goals of care regularly and address concerns, especially with symptom management and symptom control. This continual discussion allows us to effectively monitor treatment and make changes when therapies or medications are not working.