Palliative medicine
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Palliative medicine · Jul 2013
Family caregiver satisfaction with home-based nursing and physician care over the palliative care trajectory: results from a longitudinal survey questionnaire.
A limited understanding of satisfaction with home-based palliative care currently exists. ⋯ The results may inform key health policy issues. Specifically, knowledge of how quality of care parameters predict family caregivers' satisfaction over the course of the palliative care trajectory may aid managers responsible for resource allocation and the determination of home care standards.
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Palliative medicine · Jul 2013
Spouse caregivers of people with advanced dementia in nursing homes: a longitudinal narrative study.
Dementia is a life limiting illness and is becoming a major cause of death in developed countries. Many people with dementia die in nursing homes or long-term residential care settings. Spouse caregivers of people with dementia living in nursing homes find themselves in a position which is difficult to understand and live with. ⋯ Nursing home staff need to acknowledge spouse carers in their own right, inviting them to tell their stories. We recommend that communication skills be included in educational programmes for nursing home staff. Further research is needed to determine the shape and context of carer needs assessment and support, as recommended in health policy.
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Palliative medicine · Jul 2013
Uncovering an invisible network of direct caregivers at the end of life: a population study.
Most palliative care research about caregivers relies on reports from spouses or adult children. Some recent clinical reports have noted the assistance provided by other family members and friends. ⋯ This substantial network of caregivers who are mainly invisible to the health team provide the majority of care. Hospice and palliative care services need to create specific ways of identifying and engaging this cohort in order to ensure they are receiving adequate support in the role. Relying on 'next-of-kin' status in research will not identify them.
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Palliative medicine · Jul 2013
Death with dignity from the perspective of the surviving family: a survey study among family caregivers of deceased older adults.
Death with dignity has been identified as important both to patients and their surviving family. While research results have been published on what patients themselves believe may affect the dignity of their deaths, little is known about what family caregivers consider to be a dignified death. ⋯ The physical and psychosocial condition of the patient in combination with care factors contributed to death with dignity from the perspective of the family caregiver. The patient's state of mind during the last phase of life and clear communication on the part of the physician both seem to be of particular importance.