Provision of palliative care and services in specialized clinics is a new phenomenon for us. Most people in Armenia prefer to care for a sick relative at home for the rest of their lives. There are two reasons: stereotype and lack of funds.
“Palliative medicine, in Armenian we say palliative care, hides the symptoms of the underlying disease and the patient’s complaints, relieves pain and improves the patient’s quality of life,” says Diana Beglaryan, director of the Khnami palliative care center, adding that palliative care is intended both for patients with cancer and stroke, and for the elderly who need care and assistance in taking their prescribed medications correctly.
According to Dr Beglaryan, palliative care should be sought along with the main treatments, and over time it completely replaces the main treatment. “When the resources of the oncological patient’s body are exhausted and the possibilities of drug treatment are exhausted, the doctor says that there is nothing more to do, the patient is already completely in the care of the palliative department,” Diana Beglaryan explains.
Unlike inpatient care, the goal of which is to cure the patient and get him back on his feet, palliative care requires more care and attention to make today’s life painless and of high quality. In palliative care centers, beds are treated with special foams, decongestant mattresses are used, they have special bathrooms, etc.
Dr Beglaryan assures that family members and relatives also need their support, just like the patient. “With us, they understand that they are not alone on the way to solving their problems, we are next to them. Of course, the focus is on the patient, but his relatives also feel our support.
The so-called “vacation” of the guardian is very important, when the guardian is already completely exhausted, the patient is brought to the center for at least two weeks so that the guardian can rest, gain strength and be able to continue,” says the doctor, emphasizing that in the palliative department special importance is attached to benevolent and loving approach to patients and their caregivers.
As for the pricing policy, the average cost of daily care is AMD 25,000. According to the speaker, today this is not available to all families who need it, but over time, the state and charitable foundations will have the opportunity to help families, and people will not be left alone in organizing care for their loved ones.
