Computer program aids patients in end-of-life planning
A new program developed by researchers at Pennsylvania State College of Medicine and Pennsylvania State University may make it easier for patients with moderate/severe chronic obstructive pulmonary...
View ArticleBarriers identified to pediatric advance care discussions
(HealthDay) -- Prognostic understanding and parental attitude are significant barriers to advance care discussions (ACD) for children with life-threatening conditions, according to a study published...
View ArticleTerminally ill young adults ID items important to their care
(HealthDay)—Teens and young adults who are seriously ill should have a chance to be involved in end-of-life decisions, and a new planning guide—developed especially for this age group—can help,...
View ArticleWebsite launched to help patients prepare for complex medical decisions
A new patient-friendly online resource called PREPARE has been developed to help people make complex medical decisions. The website was developed by researchers from the San Francisco VA Medical...
View Article'Default' options influence patient choices in advance care directives, study...
Advance care directives allow patients to provide instructions about their preferences for the care they would like to receive if they develop an illness or a life-threatening injury and lose the...
View ArticleFamily-centered advanced care planning benefits ailing teens
(HealthDay)—Family-centered advanced care planning (ACP) enables families to better understand and agree on end-of-life decisions for adolescents with cancer, according to a study published online...
View ArticleAn end-of-life 'conversation guide' for physicians to speak with patients
How does a doctor tackle the delicate issue of end-of-life care planning with a patient?
View ArticleInterpretation of do-not-resuscitate order appears to vary among pediatric...
Clinicians use the do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order not only as a guide for therapeutic decisions during a cardiopulmonary arrest but also as a surrogate for broader treatment directives, according to a...
View ArticleNew study evaluates the concept of "advance care planning"
For the first time in Germany, a new study evaluates the concept of "advance care planning", a regional approach that helps individuals to develop, articulate and document wishes regarding the limits...
View ArticleEarly, phone-based, palliative care support improves caregiver quality of...
The earlier a specific phone-based, palliative care support program can be introduced to caregivers, the better they will be able to cope with the caregiving experience, according to research conducted...
View ArticleAdvanced care decision aids underutilized
(HealthDay)—Decision aids are underutilized for advanced care planning and their effectiveness is not well documented, according to a review published online July 29 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
View ArticleNurses need education on advance health care directives
An educational program for nurses can help address knowledge gaps related to advance health care directives (AHCDs)—thus helping to ensure that patients' wishes for care at the end of life are known...
View ArticleUS health system not properly designed to meet needs of patients nearing end...
The U.S. health care system is not properly designed to meet the needs of patients nearing the end of life and those of their families, and major changes to the system are necessary, says a new report...
View ArticleAustralians not prepared for dying with dignity
The vast majority of Australians do not have a plan allowing them to die with dignity, new research has found.
View ArticleHow terminally ill kids and their parents can plan for a better death
The diagnosis of a palliative illness in a child or adolescent is devastating for all involved: parents, family members and the children themselves, as they grieve for life they had planned and...
View ArticlePatients who do not enroll in hospice are more likely to receive aggressive...
More patients with cancer use hospice today than ever before, but there are indications that care intensity outside of hospice is increasing, and length of hospice stay decreasing. Researchers at...
View ArticleBarriers to end-of-life care discussions identified
The most important barriers to discussions with seriously ill hospitalized patients and their families about goals of care has been outlined by a research team led by McMaster University.
View ArticleAs patients face death, doctors push straight talk on care
Dr. Angelo Volandes remembers performing rib-cracking CPR on a frail elderly man dying of lung cancer, a vivid example of an end-of-life dilemma: Because his patient never said if he wanted aggressive...
View ArticleMore individuals discussing end-of-life wishes with loved ones
Discussing end-of-life wishes with loved ones can be difficult, but new research from the University of Missouri shows more individuals are engaging in advance care planning. Advance care planning...
View ArticleResearchers develop palliative care app to help GPs
A new, free smartphone app is giving GPs access to specialist medical advice to care for older palliative patients at home or in residential care across Australia.
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