Palliative medicine
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Palliative medicine · Apr 2022
ReviewExistential suffering in the day to day lives of those living with palliative care needs arising from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): A systematic integrative literature review.
The impact of living with palliative care needs arising from COPD disrupts an individual's existential situation. However, no comprehensive synthesis of existing research has been published to determine the presentation and impact of existential suffering. ⋯ This review suggests existential suffering is present and of significant impact within the daily lives of those living with palliative care needs arising from COPD. The absence of life meaning has the most significant impact. Further research is required to understand the essential components of an intervention to address existential suffering for this patient group, to ensure holistic palliative care delivery.
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Palliative medicine · Apr 2022
Civic engagement in serious illness, death, and loss: A systematic mixed-methods review.
New public health approaches to palliative care such as compassionate communities aim to increase capacity in serious illness, death, and loss by involving civic society. Civic engagement has been described in many domains of health; a description of the characteristics, processes, and impact of the initiatives in palliative care is lacking. ⋯ This is the first review to systematically describe and compare reported civic engagement initiatives in the domain of palliative care. Future studies would benefit from improved evaluation of impact and sustainability.
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Palliative medicine · Apr 2022
Dying in times of COVID-19: Experiences in different care settings - An online questionnaire study among bereaved relatives (the CO-LIVE study).
The COVID-19 pandemic and restricting measures have affected end-of-life care across different settings. ⋯ End-of-life care during the COVID-19 pandemic was evaluated least favourably in nursing homes. The quality of emotional support for relatives and whether care was restricted or not were important for assessing the place of death as appropriate.
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Palliative medicine · Apr 2022
It's like standing in front of a prison fence - Dying during the SARS-CoV2 pandemic: A qualitative study of bereaved relatives' experiences.
Since the onset of the SARS CoV2 pandemic, protective and isolation measures had a strong impact on the care and support provided to seriously ill and dying people at the end-of-life. ⋯ Our results indicate that the strong need for closeness when a family member was dying could not be met due to the pandemic. This led to suffering that can be prevented. Visits need to be facilitated by making considered decisions on a case-by-case basis. For easy communication with relatives, approaches should be made by healthcare professionals and support for virtual communication should be offered. Furthermore, the results of the study can help to implement or develop ideas to enable dignified farewells even during pandemics.
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Palliative medicine · Apr 2022
Risk factors associated with poorer experiences of end-of-life care and challenges in early bereavement: Results of a national online survey of people bereaved during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Experiences of end-of-life care and early bereavement during the COVID-19 pandemic are poorly understood. ⋯ Four clear risk factors were found for poorer end-of-life care and pandemic-related challenges in bereavement: place, cause and expectedness of death, and relationship to the deceased.