The American journal of hospice & palliative care
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Dec 2018
Family Caregivers' Confidence Caring for Relatives in Hospice Care at Home: An Exploratory Qualitative Study.
Although the experiences of family caregivers have received attention, little research has specifically explored caregivers' confidence. Evidence shows that caregivers of hospice patients do not feel confident or prepared to care for relatives or friends who die at home. ⋯ This research developed understanding about family provision of end-of-life care at home. Better comprehension of caregivers' experiences can help professional hospice and palliative care staff to understand what aids caregivers to be more confident.
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Dec 2018
Incorporating Bereaved Parents as Faculty Facilitators and Educators in Teaching Principles of Palliative and End-of-Life Care.
Education and training for interdisciplinary pediatric providers requires training in principles of palliative and end-of-life (EOL) care. The experiences of bereaved parents can inform and enhance palliative care educational curricula in uniquely powerful and valuable ways. The objective of this study is to present an innovative palliative care educational program facilitated by trained bereaved parents who serve as volunteer educators in local and national palliative care educational forums and to describe how incorporation of bereaved parents in these educational forums affects participant comfort with communication and management of children at the EOL. ⋯ Integration of bereaved parents into palliative and EOL care education is an innovative and effective model that benefits both interdisciplinary clinicians and bereaved parents.
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Dec 2018
Mobile Health Technology Is Here-But Are Hospice Informal Caregivers Receptive?
Mobile health applications (mHealth apps) represent a rapidly emerging technology that is being used to improve health-care delivery. In home hospice, informal caregivers play an essential role in attending to the day-to-day needs of their terminally ill loved ones. Using mHealth apps by caregivers in this setting could potentially improve the support provided to both patients and caregivers at the end of life (EoL). ⋯ A substantial majority of informal caregivers voiced receptivity to using mHealth apps and expressed interest in features that enhance communication and provide information to improve patient care. Although more research is needed to examine how to incorporate this technology into existing home hospice care, our study suggests that informal caregivers are likely to use this technology they feel will help enhance home-based EoL care delivery.
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Am J Hosp Palliat Care · Dec 2018
Health-Care Provider Personal Religious Preferences and Their Perspectives on Advance Care Planning With Patients.
To understand how health-care providers' (HCPs) religious preferences influence their willingness to undertake advance care planning (ACP) with patients and their acceptance of other HCP's involvement. ⋯ Personal religious preference is associated with HCP's own ACP but had little relationship with their willingness to facilitate ACP conversations with patients or acceptance of other professional types of HCPs involvement in ACP conversations. Regardless of religious affiliation, HCPs have interest in undertaking ACP and endorse other HCPs ACP involvement. As results of this study suggest that personal religious affiliation is not a barrier for HCPs engaging in ACP with patients, attempts to overcome barriers to increasing ACP should be directed to other factors.