Articles: palliative-care.
-
Evidence-based advocacy within the United Nations system for integration of palliative care into primary health care is essential to inspire and nurture the political will necessary to support the development and funding of national palliative care policy. National policy is, in turn, essential to underwrite clinical delivery that leaves no patient behind. Although International Association for Hospice and Palliative Care (IAHPC) has engaged in advocacy since its inception, the board decision to prioritize advocacy as part of the organization's strategic plan has taken it to a more formal level. This piece summarizes the content of the basic advocacy course released for IAHPC members, defines palliative care and advocacy, distinguishes advocacy from lobbying, discusses how an international organization such as the IAHPC advocates for palliative care at the global level, and clarifies the vital feedback loop between advocacy and clinical practice.
-
Internal medicine journal · Aug 2020
Supporting choice: an innovative model of integrated palliative care funded by a private health provider.
The number of Australians dying each year is predicted to double in the next 25 years and there is an urgent need to establish sustainable models for providing high quality end-of-life care. An innovative community care model (Bupa Palliative Care Choices Program or BPCCP) was developed and piloted with the purpose of supporting patients in achieving their choices surrounding end-of-life care. ⋯ This evaluation of an innovative community palliative care intervention indicates that the extra services available to patients support the choice of dying at home and the ability to do so while generating claims cost efficiencies.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Aug 2020
ReviewUnderstanding the Outcomes of Supplementary Support Services in Palliative Care for Older People. A Scoping Review and Mapping Exercise.
Supplementary support services in palliative care for older people are increasingly common, but with neither recommended tools to measure outcomes nor reviews synthesizing anticipated outcomes. Common clinically focused tools may be less appropriate. ⋯ Pertinent outcome concepts for these services and population are not well represented in commonly used outcome measurement tools, and this may have implications in appropriately measuring outcomes. This review and mapping method may have utility in fields where selecting appropriate outcome tools can be challenging.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Aug 2020
ReviewInternational COVID-19 palliative care guidance for nursing homes leaves key themes unaddressed.
COVID-19 mortality disproportionally affects nursing homes, creating enormous pressures to deliver high-quality end-of-life care. Comprehensive palliative care should be an explicit part of both national and global COVID-19 response plans. Therefore, we aimed to identify, review, and compare national and international COVID-19 guidance for nursing homes concerning palliative care, issued by government bodies and professional associations. ⋯ There is a dearth of comprehensive international COVID-19 guidance on palliative care for nursing homes. Most have a limited focus both regarding breadth of topics and recommendations made. Key aspects of palliative care, that is, symptom management, staff education and support, referral to specialist services or hospice, and family support, need greater attention in future guidelines.
-
J Pain Symptom Manage · Aug 2020
Beliefs and perceptions about parenteral nutrition and hydration by family members of patients with advanced cancer admitted to palliative care units: a nationwide survey of bereaved family members in Japan.
There has been a growing consensus that parenteral nutrition and hydration is to be forgone in terminally ill patients with cancer. However, it remains unclear what the beliefs and perceptions of parenteral nutrition and hydration by the family members are. ⋯ This study showed that beliefs and perceptions about parenteral nutrition and hydration were important in the family members in palliative care.