Which option best describes an accurate aspect of palliative care goals?

• A. Palliative care provides relief from symptoms and improves quality of life.
• B. Palliative care aims to cure diseases whenever possible.
• C. Palliative care is only appropriate in the last hours of life.
• D. Palliative care disregards patient and family planning needs.

Answer: (A)

Palliative care centers on relief from distressing symptoms and preserving or improving quality of life, not on curing the disease. This care approach can be introduced early in the course of a serious illness and is often provided alongside disease-directed treatments. It also actively involves the patient and family in planning and decisions, including goals of care and advance directives.

This is why the statement that best describes palliative care goals is the one about providing relief from symptoms and improving quality of life. Other descriptions don’t fit because palliative care is not solely about curing disease, it isn’t limited to the last hours of life, and it includes careful consideration of planning needs for patients and families.