Palliative medicine
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Palliative medicine · May 2021
Home palliative care professionals perception of challenges during the Covid-19 outbreak: A qualitative study.
Home palliative care services have played an essential role during the first wave of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak by providing symptom control, drug procurement, and psychological support for frail patients and their families unable to leave their homes. ⋯ The first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic brought many challenges and stressors for home palliative care professionals. On the other side, they reported a satisfaction with their critical role in carrying out their work with patients at risk.
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Palliative medicine · May 2021
Willingness and concerns of transfusion-dependent hematological patients toward the option of home transfusion therapy.
One of the main obstacles of providing home-based palliative care to transfusion-dependent hematology patients is the lack of home transfusions services. While healthcare professionals are concerned with safety and cost of home transfusions, the attitude of the patients toward home transfusions are mostly unknown. ⋯ These data suggest that a significant portion of transfusion-dependent patients in Israel view home transfusions as a preferred treatment option and that its successful implementation requires maintaining ongoing contact with the treating hospital.
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Palliative medicine · May 2021
Dying in times of the coronavirus: An online survey among healthcare professionals about end-of-life care for patients dying with and without COVID-19 (the CO-LIVE study).
During the COVID-19 outbreak restricting measures may have affected the provision of good end-of-life care for patients with and without COVID-19. ⋯ Our study suggests that end-of-life care during the COVID-19 pandemic may be further optimised, especially in nursing homes and hospitals. Allowing at least some level of visits of relatives seems a key component.
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Palliative medicine · May 2021
A qualitative study of bereaved relatives' end of life experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meeting the needs of relatives when a family member is dying can help facilitate better psychological adjustment in their grief. However, end of life experiences for families are likely to have been deleteriously impacted by the COVID-19 crisis. Understanding how families' needs can be met during a global pandemic will have current/future relevance for clinical practice and policy. ⋯ Health and social care professionals can have an important role in mitigating the absence of relatives' visits at end of life during a pandemic. Strategies include prioritising virtual connectedness and creating alternative opportunities for relatives to 'say goodbye'.
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Palliative medicine · May 2021
Advance care planning and end-of-life care in patients with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator: The perspective of relatives.
Little is known about the last phase of life of patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators and the practice of advance care planning in this population. ⋯ Implantable cardioverter defibrillator deactivation was discussed with a minority of patients. Device shocks were reported to be distressing to patients and relatives. Relatives of patients with a deactivated device reported a higher quality of death compared to relatives of patients with an active device.