Palliative Care: Simply Put Real Stories from Specialists #4

Palliative Care: Simply Put
Real Stories from Specialists

Life Until the Very End: Why There Is Room for the Future in Palliative Care
A case report by palliative care nurse Lyazzat Anafiyaeva, Kazakhstan

Palliative Care:
Simply Put
Real Stories from Specialists

Life Until the Very End: Why There Is Room for the Future in Palliative Care
A case report by palliative care nurse Lyazzat Anafiyaeva, Kazakhstan

Try looking at a palliative care unit through the eyes of its staff. From the outside, people often see only decline and hospital routines. But to us, our patients are people just like ourselves. They continue to live their lives, though under much more challenging circumstances: they feel, hope, and seek emotional warmth just as we do. And some of their stories become a profound inspiration for the entire team.

Читать текст на русском

A man and a woman lived in our care centre for the elderly. Despite their advanced age and chronic conditions, they fell in love—they began spending evenings together, attending events, and dancing. It was amazing to watch how this relationship transformed them both: they straightened up, took better care of themselves, and seemed to grow younger. Our centre has a large park with pines and flowers, and they would walk there together every day. The entire staff watched them with genuine warmth; after all, finding a kindred spirit at this stage of life is rare.

Eventually, they decided to marry. The centre’s administration supported the newlyweds and allocated them a separate two-room apartment. There was even a TV feature on the couple. They spent several happy years together.

Then, unexpectedly for everyone, separation came—not for medical reasons. After the COVID pandemic, the man's granddaughter arrived from another city and insisted that her grandfather move in with her. He is Kazakh, and for him, family always comes first, so he agreed. His wife could not understand this. The separation was a heavy blow for her—she became deeply ill. The medical team managed to stabilise her physical condition, but emotionally, she is still struggling to cope with the parting. Now, when I see her alone in our garden—noticeably aged and lonely—it makes me incredibly sad.

Lyazzat Anafiyaeva’s conclusion:

This story is a reminder for all of us. At any age and in any circumstances, a person remains a person. Palliative patients are capable of feeling joy, forming attachments, making plans, and… breaking up. Our task as staff is not only to provide medical care but also to accompany people on their life's journey, supporting and respecting them, and to learn from them. Life is unpredictable. We all need to be gentler with one another and cherish moments of closeness.

News