MIDDLETOWN, N.Y. (February 5, 2015) — Middletown Medical, the Hudson Valley’s premier provider of healthcare services, has expanded its service offerings yet again with the recent addition of a Palliative Care program.
The program is under the direction of Dr. Arpine Saribekyan (pictured), a Board Certified Family Medicine physician who has been Fellowship trained in Palliative Care, and who brings the utmost in compassion to caring for chronically ill patients. She and her team partner with a patient’s Primary Care physician to create the right program based on individual needs.
The goals of Palliative Care are to improve the quality of a chronically ill person’s life, and to support that person and their family during and after treatment. Palliative Care focuses on improving a person’s quality of life by relieving symptoms that are related to chronic illnesses. This differs from Hospice care, which many are familiar with, because the patient is not terminally ill with only months to live.
“We’re so pleased to now offer Palliative Care, and Dr. Saribekyan is the perfect person to oversee this program because of her knowledge and passion specific to this type of care,” said Lori Marl, Operations Director.
Middletown Medical’s Palliative Care program is a team approach, involving the person who is ill, their family, and specialists from many disciplines. It can be used at any stage of illness – and not just the advanced stages. It can help address many issues, including:
* * * Physical – Common physical symptoms such as pain, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, insomnia, and others. Many of these can be relieved with medicines, or by using other methods, such as nutrition therapy, physical therapy, or deep breathing techniques.
* * * Emotional & Coping – Palliative Care specialists can provide resources to help patients and families deal with the emotions that come with a serious, chronic illness. Depression, anxiety, and fear are just a few of the concerns that can be addressed.
Additionally, most insurance plans cover all or part of this program, and this is true with Medicare and Medicaid, as well.
For more information on Middletown Medical’s Palliative Care services, please visit http://www.middletownmedical.com/services/specialty-medicine/palliative-care, or call (845) 342-4774.