Palliative care needs are everywhere

The concept of palliative care in neurology continues to evolve; yet, the stigma about palliative care remains. Some may view offering palliative care to patients with serious neurologic conditions as a medical failure. Until recently, most clinicians have associated palliative care with end-of-life care for patients with malignancy. Fortunately, many have increasingly recognized that end-of-life care is an important aspect of care for patients with neurologic conditions. In recent years, the concept of palliative care has expanded further to include care that focuses on physical, psychosocial, intellectual, and spiritual needs, with the goal of improving quality of life for all patients with serious illness. Thus, palliative care may be appropriate during any phase of serious illness.¹ Many neurologic disorders (e.g., multiple sclerosis, stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and Parkinson disease) fall within this framework. Neuropalliative care has begun to emerge as a specialty to address these important needs of our patients and their families.