Supportive Care – Helping You Feel Better and Live Better

Submitted by Hospice of Marion County

Not so long ago, folks with chronic conditions were destined to be defined by their condition: restricted mobility, dietary issues, un-ending pain and no relief from their symptoms. That fate is no longer a given. Thanks to the innovative means of palliative or what many call supportive, comfort care, people can go about living their best lives at home with loved ones and friends, finding joy in their daily routines, family gatherings and special outings.

Since 2006, comfort care has been a growing and dynamic reality offered by Carewell Supportive Care, an affiliate of Hospice of Marion County. Headed by experts in pain and symptom management, the physicians and advance nurse practitioners work directly with patients, family and their own personal doctors to find the right balance of medication and therapies. This service is offered to anyone with a life-altering condition, no matter what the prognosis or level of curative treatment and is covered by insurance.

Often a diagnosis of chronic illness can seem like a sentence to a life of despair, but it doesn’t have to be.

Consultations with Carewell specialists can offer a protocol of life-changing behaviors and medications to keep people active and well.

One such case involved a 27-year-old man with sickle cell anemia. This genetic disease causes debilitating infections, extreme swelling in hands and feet, and episodes of pain known as “sickle cell crisis” which often requires hospitalization. This young man was unable to keep his job due to the pain in his feet. The palliative physician paid him a house call to see how he was living and what could be done to alleviate the swelling in his joints. This time the solution was simple. He was wearing comfortable but inappropriate sneakers with no support. The doctor removed his own shoes to show him a removable orthotic that he used in all of his shoes. While he didn’t have sickle cell anemia, he did have an ongoing joint problem. Without the orthotic, he also had difficulty walking. An appointment was made with a podiatrist immediately and the man got orthotics designed for his unique situation. If only solutions were always that simple!

For the team at Carewell Supportive Care, no situation is unmanageable. The collaborative efforts with physicians, families and, of course, the patient, solutions are within reach to attain comfort, usually within 24 hours of a consultation. The team specializes in pain management, shortness of breath, fatigue and unexplained weight gain or loss. They make calls in the local hospitals, care facilities and private homes. They also help with goals of care, conflict mediation, discharge planning and reductions in re-admission to the hospital.

Contacting Carewell Supportive Care is as simple as a phone call (Monday-Friday, at 352-291-5881) or visiting www.carewellsupportivecare.com. Their office is conveniently located on the AdventHealth campus at 1528 SW 1st Avenue in Ocala. Ask your doctor how Carewell can help you or someone you care about. It could make a world of difference, because when you feel better, you live better.