WATCHING TIME: 6 minutes
“For this meeting, the theme this year was to build community and break down barriers. To bring everyone who cares about people with neurological conditions together and find better ways to care for them.”
Palliative care, traditionally used in the fields of oncology, is a specialized form of care that aims to relieve the symptoms and stress of illness. The primary goal is to improve the quality of life for the patient and family, and is usually performed by a specially trained team of doctors, nurses, and other specialists. Neuropalliative care has become an emerging subspecialty within neurology and palliative care, primarily helping people with neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), among others.
The International Neuropalliative Care Society (INPCS), an organization dedicated to the growth of this specific field, recently held its second annual meeting on a virtual platform from November 10-12. expressed in several sessions and presentations. INPCS believes that the optimal growth of this field will be interdisciplinary, international, person-centred and also encompassing specialist and primary neuropalliative care.
Following the conference, NeurologyLive® spoke with Benzi Kluger, MD, MS, President of INPCS, to better understand the remarkable research presented. Kluger, who is also a professor of neurology at the University of Rochester, provided perspective on the importance of neuropalliative care, as well as specific presentations and topics that are relevant to the growth of this field.