Current opinion in supportive and palliative care
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Curr Opin Support Palliat Care · Dec 2010
ReviewDecision making among older people with advanced heart failure as they transition to dependency and death.
This review critically considers recent research, identifying patient experiences of, and preferences for, participation in decision making during the end-of-life transition. ⋯ This review indicates a need to think carefully about how policy recommendations and guidance relating to patient participation in decision making at the end-of-life can be effectively implemented in practice. The need for continuity of involvement from key health workers is identified as very important in this regard. 'Transition' is also considered as a concept that may offer health professionals a different approach for assessment and management of heart failure patients over a longer period and means of integrating heart failure management with palliative care.