Journal of palliative medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Do preparation and life completion discussions improve functioning and quality of life in seriously ill patients? Pilot randomized control trial.
Significant palliative care intervention has focused on physical pain and symptom control; yet less empirical evidence supports efforts to address the psychosocial and spiritual dimensions of experience. ⋯ The Outlook intervention was acceptable to patients from a variety of educational and ethnic backgrounds and offers a brief, manualized, intervention for emotional and spiritual concerns.
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The aims of this study were to clarify (1) the quality of life (QOL) of community-dwelling patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers in home palliative care and day hospice settings, (2) the need for day hospice of home palliative care patients and caregivers, and (3) the satisfaction with day hospice by day hospice patients and caregivers. ⋯ This is the first study of day hospice in Japan. Although there are several day hospices in Japan, the initiation of day hospice would probably be successful. The dissemination of day hospice is an important issue for patients with advanced cancer and their caregivers in Japan.
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People with intellectual disabilities require access to compassionate, quality, and effective palliative and end-of-life care when facing serious, life-limiting illness. This study was designed to document the degree to which hospice and palliative care services were provided to New Jersey residents with intellectual disabilities, and the challenges in providing this care. Surveys were designed to assess the provision of hospice and palliative care services to this population, staff knowledge and training needs, experiential and communication challenges, and financial concerns. ⋯ Ninety-one percent of palliative care providers reported providing services to the community, with hospices providing care to approximately 3 individuals during the prior year. Challenges to providing services included: low levels of knowledge about palliative care among residential providers; need for knowledge about people with intellectual disabilities among hospice providers; communication difficulties; and costs concerns regarding reimbursement, staffing, and training. Results support the need to increase awareness and knowledge about intellectual disabilities, including provider communication skills; promote hospice outreach to residential providers; and develop innovative services and policies that address the challenges in caring for this population.
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Family conferences are used to facilitate communication concerning end-of-life issues with patients and their families. The purpose of our study was to obtain preliminary information on the characteristics of family conferences that take place in an inpatient palliative care unit (PCU). ⋯ Family conferences involved a high degree of patient participation and occurred at the end of a patients stay in our PCU. A trend toward greater expression of emotional distress displayed by family members was found when patients did not participate in the meetings. Further prospective studies that use validated tools to assess the content of the meetings and their impact on alleviating distress in patients and their family are needed.
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The celiac plexus block is an approved method for the relief of upper abdominal cancer pain. Classically, fluoroscopy-guided posterior approach to the celiac plexus block has been used. ⋯ An ultrasound-guided anterior approach to celiac plexus neurolysis with median plane single-needle entry technique has been described that targets the preaortic area between the origins of celiac trunk and superior mesenteric artery. We describe our experience with and decision to use the bedside ultrasound-guided anterior approach to celiac plexus neurolysis using bilateral paramedian needle entry technique.