Which statement about palliative care is NOT correct?

• A. Palliative care focuses on patients who are close to death.
• B. Palliative care can provide respite care for family members.
• C. Palliative care focuses on managing pain and troublesome symptoms.
• D. Palliative care emphasizes development of a therapeutic relationship.

Answer: (A)

Palliative care is about relieving suffering and improving quality of life for anyone with a serious illness, not just those who are believed to be near death. It can be provided alongside disease-directed treatments at any stage, and it includes support for families, such as respite care to give caregivers a break. It emphasizes controlling pain and troublesome symptoms and building a therapeutic relationship with the patient and family to align care with their goals. The statement that palliative care focuses only on patients close to death is not correct because its reach is broader and can begin earlier in the illness trajectory.