Journal of pain and symptom management
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Oct 2021
Randomized Controlled TrialTRAINING STAFF IN LONG-TERM CARE FACILITIES - EFFECTS ON RESIDENTS' SYMPTOMS, PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING, AND PROXY SATISFACTION.
Long-term care facility (LTCF) residents have unmet needs in end-of-life and symptom care. ⋯ Our rigorous randomized controlled trial on palliative care training intervention demonstrated mild effects on residents' symptoms and no robust effects on psychological well-being or on proxies' satisfaction with care.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Oct 2021
Meta AnalysisAssociation of Palliative Care Intervention with Health Care Use, Symptom Burden and Advance Care Planning in Adults with Heart Failure and Other Noncancer Chronic Illness.
Palliative care (PC) improves outcomes in noncancer illness. We hypothesized the benefit is driven by studies of heart failure (HF) patients exclusively versus studies of other noncancer illnesses. ⋯ PC is particularly effective at reducing potentially unwanted hospital admissions for patients with HF compared to other noncancer illnesses. Our findings should further encourage efforts to increase PC access to HF patients.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Oct 2021
ReviewThe Palliative Care information needs of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and their informal caregivers: a scoping review.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease, associated with impaired quality of life for patients and caregivers. As treatment is largely supportive, early involvement of palliative care (PC) is recommended as standard of care. Despite this, literature surrounding PC information needs is limited. ⋯ ALS patients and caregivers have unique and varying PC information needs. Future research should better characterize these needs to improve patient and caregiver quality of life. The delivery of information must be tailored to individual patient or caregiver preferences.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Oct 2021
Multicenter StudyMeanings emerging from Dignity Therapy amongst Cancer Patients.
Generativity is a process whereby patients nearing the end of life invest in those they will soon leave behind. In recent years, the trajectory of cancer has changed, as new therapies have prolonged survival and patients often live with metastatic disease for several years. For these patients and for the healthcare professionals who care for them it can be useful to understand if the concept of generativity is clinically salient. ⋯ Conversations about generativity could inform clinicians on how to communicate about existential and meaning-based issues across different stages of illness.
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J Pain Symptom Manage · Oct 2021
Association between subjective remaining life expectancy and advance care planning in older adults: a cross-sectional study.
Advance care planning (ACP) becomes more relevant with deteriorating health or increasing age. People might be more inclined to engage in ACP as they feel that they are approaching end of life. The perception of approaching end of life could be quantified as subjective remaining life expectancy (SRLE). ⋯ The perception of approaching end of life is associated with higher prevalence of formal engagement in ACP, but only for those with SRLE < 25 years. For clinicians, asking patients after their SRLE might serve as a starting point to explore readiness for ACP.