Palliative Care and Neurodegenerative Diseases

There is increasing awareness of the multiple needs of people with neurodegenerative disease and palliative care is able to help effectively in the management of symptoms and other issues to maintain quality of life. The issues may be complex and there is great variation between disease groups and for each individual. Palliative care may be helpful from diagnosis, particularly for diseases with a short prognosis such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and according to need throughout the disease progression. There may be specific communication needs, in the telling of the diagnosis, support of patients and families, and in enabling advance care planning, as many patients face loss of communication and/or cognition and at the end of life. Careful assessment of all the issues – physical, psychological, social, and spiritual – is important as is the support and education of all involved – patient and family and the professional caring team.