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Palliative Care Often Misunderstood

1,642 views · Published 20 December 2015 · 1:48 · Indexed 24 October 2026

Channel: Lee Health · 2015 · Science & Technology

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Treating the patient, not the disease: it’s a mantra of palliative care. Often lumped with hospice, there is a distinct difference. Palliative patients are focused on life.

“People have to get through that misconception that it equals end of life and death and therefore thinking ‘well I’m not there yet, I’m not that sick, I don't need palliative care.’ people are just afraid of that word as much as anything else,” says Dr. Sara Newman, who is a palliative care specialist with Lee Memorial Health System. 

More than 90-million Americans suffer from a chronic disease, and studies show many of them would benefit from palliative care. 

“The truth is, anybody who has a life-limiting illness whether it’s cancer or congestive heart failure, whether it’s COPD, any illness that has a profound effect on the family and on the patient is one that is perfect for palliative care,” says Dr. Newman. 

Over the years medicine has become more and more specialized. It works well for disease management, but not so well for people management. Palliative care picks up where other doctors leave off. Looking at quality of life, including symptom relief, decision-making, social issues even emotional wellbeing.

“The word palliative comes from a Greek word which means cloak. And so I like to think of palliative care as a protective cloak that we try to embrace the patient and the family in an extra layer of support for whatever their needs might be,” says Dr. Newman.  

Providing layers of support, patients can engage with palliative care for a short time or a lifetime. Checking in when they need a ‘pal’ to lean on. 


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Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

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