1. A series of approaches of specialized medical care for people with serious illnesses:Palliative care emphasizes on providing patients with relief from the symptoms of pain, physical stress, and mental stress of a serious illness.

The objectives of palliative cares involve therapies that are meant to improve the quality of life for both the patients and their families.

Palliative care is provided by a team of physicians, nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and other health professionals who work together with the primary care physician or other specialists in order to provide extra support even for patients who don't have the aid of hospital or hospice staff.

Palliative care can be provided in several places including hospitals, in the patient's home, as part of other community palliative care programs, and in skilled nursing facilities.

Palliative care makes use of a multidisciplinary approach to patient care by relying on input from pharmacists, nurses, chaplains, social workers, psychologists, and other allied health professionals in formulating a plan of care to relieve suffering in all of the areas of a patient's life.

This multidisciplinary approach allows the palliative care group to address physical, emotional, spiritual and social concerns that develop with advanced illnesses.

2. Etymology: derived from Latin palliare, "to cloak" and refers to specialized medical care for people who have serious illnesses.