Supportive Care
Helping you manage your cancer journey
Cancer and its treatment may cause physical and psychological discomfort that can impact your quality of life. Regardless of your age, type or stage of cancer, an important part of your cancer care is preventing or relieving these symptoms and side effects. Supportive Care is a specialized area of medicine that manages pain and symptoms to improve your physical, mental and emotional health. It is sometimes also called Palliative Care. Supportive Care improves your quality of life while you undergo disease-directed cancer treatment, by lessening the side effects, openly discussing your options, clarifying your understanding and expectations of treatment, and providing additional support and advocacy.
Common issues such as pain, nausea, dry mouth, fatigue, sleep problems, diarrhea and constipation, as well as emotional effects such as anxiety, fear or depression, are some of the symptoms addressed by the Supportive Care team. Consideration of your spiritual and practical concerns are also important to Supportive Care providers.
Our Supportive Care team also specializes in assisting patients and their family members manage complex decisions that often accompany living with a serious illness. In person and telemedicine visits can be scheduled to discuss and complete Advance directives and POLST forms, as well as review the goals of treatment, particularly in advanced cancer.
Although Supportive Care is a part of the standard cancer care provided by all of our oncology team members, Astera also provides you the unique opportunity to receive more intensive, specialty level care by supportive medicine providers and social workers that collaborate closely with your medical oncologist. In fact, research has shown that people who receive both standard cancer care along with supportive care have fewer symptoms, a better quality of life, and report better satisfaction with their treatment experience. In essence, Supportive Care helps improve your general wellbeing and provides supportive guidance along your treatment journey.
Should you have any questions about Palliative and Supportive Care at Astera, please call our Nurse Practitioner and Supportive Care, Sally Johnson, MSN, APN, FNP-BC at 732.724.3023 or email supportive@asterahealthcare.org.
Our team would be happy to schedule an appointment with you and/or your loved ones to address any questions you might have and to assist in completing healthcare documents.
Advance Care Planning Forms
- Astera Frequently Asked Questions for Advance Care Planning
- New Jersey Advance Directive Form
- New Jersey Health Care Proxy Form
- New Jersey POLST Form
Please download and fill out the Pain and Symptom Journal form, and bring it to your appointment. This form will be used to assist your supportive care team in providing the best care to treat and manage any distressing pain and symptoms you might be experiencing.
The Conversation Project is an initiative to help people share their wishes for care. We invite you to view this short video “ABC World News with Diane Sawyer: The Conversation Project” for more information on this initiative.