HEALTH CARE
PALLIATIVE CARE:
COMFORTING FAMILIES
Rafael J. Sciullo
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 121
Palliative care, also known as
“comfort care,” is specialized
medical care and support for
patients living with a serious or
life-limiting illness. The focus is to relieve
pain, symptoms and stress at any time
during a serious illness and to support
patients and families as they work through
difficult medical decisions.
Our palliative care team assists patients
and families with identifying and creating
goals of care that honor their goals and
wishes. They also help manage challenging
symptoms associated with a serious illness
through collaboration with patients’ primary
care providers and other specialists. Our
practitioners can prescribe for cancer-related
pain and may make recommendations for
pain management related to other serious
illnesses (but we do not manage medications
for chronic pain conditions).
A specialized support team provides
education, counseling, help identifying
goals and facilitating connections with
community resources. The team also helps
with navigation of the health care system,
including transitions between homes and
hospitals and other facilities. Our team
works hard to coordinate the efforts of all
providers involved to ensure a patient’s
personal plan of care is followed.
Services are provided by an expert team
of board-certified physicians, specialized
advanced practice registered nurses
(APRNs), licensed social workers and nondenominational
spiritual care coordinators.
Many people with a serious illness can
benefit from talking with our palliative care
providers, including patients with a serious
illness or health problem affecting their
quality of life who are living at home or in a
long-term care facility; those with treatment
option questions; patients undergoing
complex treatments or deciding whether
to stop treatment for any serious illness
such as cancer, stroke, lung disease, heart
disease, kidney disease and/or dementia;
and patients in need of help understanding
treatment options in order to make informed
decisions and set goals of care.
We recently highlighted the story of
Lori and Anthony Giannico who moved
from New York to Florida in 2018 with
plans to fix up a beach house. In 2019, Lori
was diagnosed with stage IV metastatic
pancreatic cancer and immediately began
chemotherapy treatments. The aggressive
cancer put their beach plans on hold
indefinitely. Lori lost nearly 100 pounds
and was mostly confined to her bed. Car
rides to appointments became nearly
unbearable and the stress was weighing
heavy on everyone.
In January 2020, her cancer team
suggested Empath Health Palliative Care.
Lori’s palliative care team meets with
the family on a regular basis. Together,
they focus on providing comfort for Lori
and support for Anthony as a caregiver.
Anthony told us, “I’ve repaired broken
things all my life, and this I can’t fix. I
didn’t know how to be her caregiver.”
The team reviewed and addressed
concerns about medications and developing
a plan of care. Lori’s social worker provides
strategies on how to cope and regularly
talks to her daughter, Nicole, who lives
with them. “The passion and knowledge
has been incredible,” adds Anthony. “It’s
amazing how much information, help and
guidance they give us.”
The average life expectancy for a person
after receiving the diagnosis of stage IV
metastatic pancreatic cancer is between
three to six months. Lori is now going on
14 months. The additional time together
has given Lori the opportunity to celebrate
milestones with her family. Her daughter,
Demi, was married in January. Her other
daughter, Stephanie, married in November
and Lori’s team helped make sure her dress
fit perfectly after issues of fluid retention.
There is even a new puppy around the house.
“The care of Empath Health has given
us time to talk to each other. Nothing
has to go unsaid because we get to say
everything,” says Anthony. “No words
can describe our gratitude.” The family
is still taking things day by day, but is
thankful for every moment they get to
spend together. “The compassion, the
knowledge and flexibility of this team is
unparalleled in its exceptional excellence
of service for my wife and my family,” he
adds. “Because of the amazing support, I
know that Lori is still here with us.”
Empath Health is honored to be part of the
journeys of people like Lori and Anthony and
we strive to provide expert, compassionate
care to the patients, participants, clients and
family members through all of our member
organizations. If you have questions about
Empath Health Palliative Care, or any of
the services provided by Empath Health,
please call us at (727) 467-7423. 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: Rafael J. Sciullo is president
and CEO of Empath Health, a nonprofit
integrated network of care for those affected
by chronic or advanced illness. For more
information about services, call (727) 467-7423
or visit EmpathHealth.org.
By Rafael J. Sciullo
/EmpathHealth.org