Alleviating Suffering for Neurological Ailments: Introducing a Novel Approach for End-of-Life Care

Alleviating Suffering for Neurological Ailments: Introducing a Novel Approach for End-of-Life Care

In a groundbreaking development, the International Neuropalliative Care Society has proposed a new evidence-based framework for early and ongoing palliative care in neurological disorders. This framework emphasizes the integration of palliative approaches from diagnosis throughout disease progression.

The new model advocates for timely initiation of palliative care alongside disease-modifying treatments. It aims to address complex symptoms, psychosocial needs, and advance care planning continuously, rather than reserving palliative care for end-of-life stages.

Key components of the framework include multidisciplinary collaboration among neurology, palliative care, rehabilitation, and psychosocial professionals. Personalized care plans that evolve with disease trajectory, consistent symptom assessment and management, and support for patients and families to enhance quality of life and decision-making capacity are also integral parts of this approach.

The approach incorporates a holistic biopsychosocial-spiritual perspective tailored to neurological conditions' unique progression and challenges. It encourages patients and families to plan for the future and make full use of the extended healthcare team, which includes social workers, mental health specialists, spiritual care, rehabilitation, and pain medicine.

The authors, including Charles White, Peter Hudson, Laura Hanson, and others, express hope that this new framework will provide the care and support needed for individuals with neurological illnesses and their families. Neurological diseases often cause a wide range of symptoms such as pain, fatigue, memory loss, depression, anxiety, social isolation, and loss of independence.

The new model aims to improve end-of-life care to allow patients to live with dignity, control, and comfort for as long as possible. It also seeks to screen for and prevent suffering by addressing the total pain of neurological illness, including physical, psychological, social, and spiritual distress.

Family members of individuals with neurological illnesses often serve as primary at-home caregivers and may struggle with the emotional impact of seeing a loved one suffer, as well as with the social, financial, and physical impact of providing care. The new model encourages patients and families to address these challenges together.

The new framework is based on international palliative care guidelines and a review of neuropalliative care research to date. It is increasingly recommended in guidelines from national and international foundations, including the Parkinson Foundation.

The Parkinson Foundation has launched a project funded by the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute to make integrated palliative care a new standard throughout its global Center of Excellence network. The research was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Aging and conducted by a team of experts from various universities and medical institutions.

The authors suggest that empowering neurology teams to provide better whole-person, patient-centered care can go a long way to improving neurological care. The review, commissioned by the journal Lancet Neurology, underscores this paradigm shift toward early, integrated neuropalliative care models aligned with evidence-based best practices.

[1] Conference Proceedings, 2025 International Palliative Care Conference [2] Smith, J. (2025). The Emergence of Neuropalliative Care: A Paradigm Shift in Neurological Care. Journal of Palliative Medicine, 28(6), 611-618.

1. The proposal of a new framework for early and ongoing palliative care in neurological disorders marks a significant advancement in the field of science.
2. This innovative model aims to integrate palliative care alongside disease-modifying treatments from diagnosis, extending throughout disease progression.
3. The objective is to tackle complex symptoms, psychosocial needs, and advance care planning continuously, rather than isolating palliative care to end-of-life stages.
4. Key components embrace multidisciplinary collaboration among neurology, palliative care, rehabilitation, and psychosocial professionals.
5. Personalized care plans that adapt with the disease trajectory are core to the approach, ensuring consistent symptom assessment and management.
6. Support for patients and families is paramount for enhancing quality of life and decision-making capacity.
7. The framework has a holistic biopsychosocialspritual perspective, tailored to neurological conditions' unique progression and challenges.
8. It encourages patients and families to plan for the future and utilize the extended healthcare team, including social workers, mental health specialists, spiritual care, rehabilitation, and pain medicine.
9. Neurological diseases encompass a wide range of symptoms such as pain, fatigue, memory loss, depression, anxiety, social isolation, and loss of independence.
10. The framework's purpose is to improve end-of-life care, allowing patients to maintain dignity, control, and comfort for as long as possible.
11. It seeks to screen for and prevent suffering by addressing the total pain of neurological illness, including physical, psychological, social, and spiritual distress.
12. Family members of individuals with neurological illnesses may struggle with the emotional, social, financial, and physical impact of providing care.
13. The new model encourages patients and families to address these challenges jointly.
14. The framework is rooted in international palliative care guidelines and a review of neuropalliative care research to date.
15. It is increasingly recommended in guidelines from national and international foundations, including the Parkinson Foundation.
16. The Parkinson Foundation has launched a project aimed at making integrated palliative care a new standard across its global Center of Excellence network.
17. The research was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Aging and conducted by a team of experts from various universities and medical institutions.
18. The authors contend that empowering neurology teams to offer better whole-person, patient-centered care can significantly boost neurological care.
19. The review, commissioned by the journal Lancet Neurology, underscores this paradigm shift toward early, integrated neuropalliative care models.
20. Conference Proceedings, published in 2025, document the findings from the International Palliative Care Conference.
21. In a journal publication (Smith, J. 2025), the emergence of neuropalliative care is analyzed as a paradigm shift in neurological care.
22. The article discusses neuropalliative care in Journal of Palliative Medicine, volume 28, issue 6, pages 611-618.
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