Palliative medicine
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Palliative medicine · Jul 2013
Death with dignity from the perspective of the surviving family: a survey study among family caregivers of deceased older adults.
Death with dignity has been identified as important both to patients and their surviving family. While research results have been published on what patients themselves believe may affect the dignity of their deaths, little is known about what family caregivers consider to be a dignified death. ⋯ The physical and psychosocial condition of the patient in combination with care factors contributed to death with dignity from the perspective of the family caregiver. The patient's state of mind during the last phase of life and clear communication on the part of the physician both seem to be of particular importance.
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Palliative medicine · Jun 2013
Individual experiences and impacts of a physiotherapist-led, non-pharmacological breathlessness programme for patients with intrathoracic malignancy: a qualitative study.
Non-pharmacological breathlessness management programmes have been shown to be beneficial in the management of lung cancer-related dyspnoea for more than 10 years. What is not so clear is how they work. ⋯ The non-pharmacological breathlessness management programme appears to offer a wide range of benefits to patients, including improving functional capacity, coping strategies and self-control. Such benefits are most likely to be due to a combination of breathing control, activity management and the therapist qualities.
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Palliative medicine · Jun 2013
ReviewDelirium prevalence, incidence, and implications for screening in specialist palliative care inpatient settings: a systematic review.
Delirium is a serious neuropsychiatric syndrome frequently experienced by palliative care inpatients. This syndrome is under-recognized by clinicians. While screening increases recognition, it is not a routine practice. ⋯ The prevalence and incidence of delirium in palliative care inpatient settings supports the need for screening. However, there is limited consensus on assessment measures or knowledge of implications of delirium screening for inpatients and families. Further research is required to develop standardized methods of delirium screening, assessment, and management that are acceptable to inpatients and families.
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Palliative medicine · Jun 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialCommunicating advanced cancer patients' symptoms via the Internet: a pooled analysis of two randomized trials examining caregiver preparedness, physical burden, and negative mood.
Using available communication technologies, clinicians may offer timely support to family caregivers in managing symptoms in patients with advanced cancer at home. ⋯ This study provides new evidence that by using an online symptom reporting system, caregivers may experience less emotional distress due to the Clinician Report's timely communication of caregiving needs in symptom management to clinicians.