Nutritional Support in Palliative Care: The Dietitian's Critical Role

Palliative care is an approach aimed at improving the quality of life for patients and their families by identifying, assessing, and treating pain and other physical and psychological problems early in individuals struggling with serious illnesses, and preventing and alleviating disease-related problems. The effective functioning of the palliative care model greatly depends on the importance of a multidisciplinary team approach. Dietitians, as part of the healthcare team formed to meet the physical, psychological, and social needs of patients, play critical roles in initiating nutrition therapy, evaluating its effectiveness, monitoring progress, and creating nutrition plans for addressing disease-related nutritional problems. It is well known that failure to provide adequate nutritional support in palliative care negatively impacts the effectiveness of medical treatment and quality of life, leading to increased morbidity and mortality rates. Therefore, especially during the palliative care process, the active role of dietitians in the multidisciplinary team is crucial in improving the quality of life for palliative care patients and enhancing the effectiveness of medical treatment.