scholarly journals Meaning and Practice of Palliative Care for Hospitalized Older Adults with Life Limiting Illnesses

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bethel Ann Powers ◽  
Sally A. Norton ◽  
Madeline H. Schmitt ◽  
Timothy E. Quill ◽  
Maureen Metzger
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Acute Care Hospital ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
Underlying Structure ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Palliative Care Consultation

Objective. To illustrate distinctions and intersections of palliative care (PC) and end-of-life (EOL) services through examples from case-centered data of older adults cared for during a four-year ethnographic study of an acute care hospital palliative care consultation service.Methods. Qualitative narrative and thematic analysis.Results. Description of four practice paradigms (EOL transitions, prognostic uncertainty, discharge planning, and patient/family values and preferences) and identification of the underlying structure and communication patterns of PC consultation services common to them.Conclusions. Consistent with reports by other researchers, study data support the need to move beyond equating PC with hospice or EOL care and the notion that EOL is a well-demarcated period of time before death. If professional health care providers assume that PC services are limited to assisting with and helping patients and families prepare for dying, they miss opportunities to provide care considered important to older individuals confronting life-limiting illnesses.

Dying With Dyspnea in the Hospital

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 132-134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah Morris ◽  
Marissa Galicia-Castillo
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Retrospective Chart Review ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Palliative Care Consultation

Background: While many patients hope to die at home, many die in hospitals. Patients die with unrecognized and untreated symptoms including dyspnea. Objective: We sought to determine prevalence of dyspnea at end of life in patients dying in acute hospital care and examine treatment patterns. Design/Participants: A retrospective chart review of deaths at tertiary care hospital over a 3-month period evaluated dyspnea in last 24 hours of life, opioid orders and administration as well as presence of palliative care consultation. Results: Of 106 decedents, 88 experienced dyspnea or tachypnea in last 24 hours of life. Health care providers noted only 50% as dyspneic, even those undergoing terminal comfort extubation. Almost all patients with dyspnea documented by staff had orders and received opioids; however, few orders described treatment specifically for dyspnea. Patients with palliative care consultations more often received opioids ( P = .0007), and opioid orders more often specified treatment of dyspnea ( P = .013). Conclusion: These findings support that previous work noting many patients experience dyspnea at end of life. Despite national guidelines, health care providers may still be underrecognizing and likely not optimally treating dyspnea at the end of life in the hospital. Collaboration with palliative medicine providers may improve assessments and treatments for quality end-of-life care for hospitalized patients.

scholarly journals A FRAMEWORK FOR CARE TRANSITIONS FOR OLDER ADULTS WITH COMPLEX HEALTH CONDITIONS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S687-S687
Author(s):  
Paul Stolee ◽  
Jacobi B Elliott ◽  
Kerry Byrne ◽  
Joanie Sims-Gould ◽  
Catherine Tong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Service Use ◽  
Care Transitions ◽  
Ethnographic Study ◽  
System Level ◽  
Health Conditions ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Framework Analysis

Abstract For older adults with complex health conditions, transitions between care settings are common and a major risk to quality of care and patient safety. Care transition interventions have shown positive impacts on continuity of care and health service use, however, most require additional human resources (e.g., transition coach), focus on one transition or “handoff”, and provide support for individual patients without addressing underlying challenges of health system integration. We sought to develop a framework for system-level enhancements to care transitions for older adults. We report a secondary framework analysis of an ethnographic investigation (the “InfoRehab” project) of care transitions for older persons who had experienced a hip fracture. The ethnographic study involved interviews, observations, and document reviews for 23 patients, 19 family caregivers, and 92 health care providers. Data were collected at each transition point (1-4/patient) along the care continuum, at three Canadian sites (large urban, mid-size urban, rural). Our framework analysis followed the approach described by Gale et al. (2013), using as cases 12 peer-reviewed papers which had reported InfoRehab results. Two researchers coded findings from each paper, then developed an analytical framework of eight themes by consensus; these include: patient involvement and choice, family caregiver involvement, patient complexity, health care provider coordination, information sharing, documentation, system constraints, and relationships. NVivo 11 was used to index findings into these themes and to generate a matrix. We are working with system stakeholders, including patients and caregivers, to apply this framework in the development of improved systems for care transitions.

A survey of prognosis discussions held by health-care providers who request palliative care consultation

2013 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 312-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy Chang ◽  
Indrany Datta-Barua ◽  
Beth McLaughlin ◽  
Barbara Daly
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Palliative Care Consultation ◽  
Care Consultation

scholarly journals Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Report

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 713-713
Author(s):  
Colleen Galambos ◽  
James Lubben
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Health Care System ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Early Death ◽  
Older Individuals ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Care System

Abstract Social isolation and loneliness (SIL) are serious yet underappreciated public health risks for many older adults (AARP, 2018a). Strong evidence suggests that, for older adults, social isolation and loneliness are associated with an increased likelihood of early death, dementia, heart disease, and more (AARP, 2018b, Holt-Lunstad and Smith, 2016). While all ages may experience SIL, older adults are at increased risk because they are more likely to face predisposing factors such as living alone, the loss of family or friends, chronic illness, and sensory impairments. Health care providers may be in the best position to identify older individuals who are at highest risk for SIL – individuals for whom the health care system may be the only point of contact with their broader community. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) developed a consensus study report on this issue. This symposium presents the study recommendations. Dr. Holt-Lunstad examines the recommendations to develop a more robust evidence base for effective assessment, prevention, and intervention strategies for social isolation and loneliness. Dr. Galambos examines the recommendations to translate current research into health care practices and to improve awareness of the health and medical impacts of SIL. Dr. Lustig examines the recommendations to strengthen ongoing education and training and to strengthen ties between the health care system and community-based resources. Dr. Demiris examines the role of technology across all of these recommendations. Loneliness and Social Isolation Interest Group Sponsored Symposium

scholarly journals Dementia Severity Is Associated With Early Potentially Avoidable Readmissions in an Acute Care Hospital

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 77-77
Author(s):  
Seigo Mitsutake ◽  
Tatsuro Ishizaki ◽  
Rumiko Tsuchiya-Ito ◽  
Akira Hatakeyama ◽  
Mika Sugiyama ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Transitional Care ◽  
Acute Care Hospital ◽  
Length Of Hospital Stay ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Severe Dementia ◽  
Dementia Severity ◽  
Assessment Sheet ◽  
Avoidable Readmissions

Abstract Understanding the association of dementia severity with early potentially avoidable readmissions (PAR) could encourage the identification of the target patients for the health care providers to provide transitional care (i.e. follow-up and coordination care) to prevent early readmissions. This study examined whether dementia severity before admission was associated with PAR within 90 days (90-day PAR). This retrospective cohort study was conducted using a Diagnosis Procedure Combination database linked with routinely collected dementia assessment data from a large acute general hospital in Tokyo, Japan. Patients aged 65 or older who were discharged to home or facilities (n=8,910; mean age: 79.8 years, standard deviation: 7.4 years) between July 2016 and September 2018. The dementia severity was classified as normal, slight, moderate, severe dementia based on the Dementia Assessment Sheet for Community-based Integrated Care System 21-items (DASC-21) from the patient or their family at admission. We conducted a multivariable logistic regression adjusted for covariates (sex, age, insurance copayment rate, diagnosis at admission, Charlson Comorbidity Index, unscheduled admission, ICU utilization, surgical treatment, length of hospital stay, discharge place) to examine the association of severity of dementia with 90-day PAR. Among the patients, 225 (2.5%) experienced 90-day PAR. The adjusted odds of 90-day PAR among patients with moderate dementia were 1.571 times (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.102-2.240) and patients with severe dementia were 2.386 times (95% CI: 1.294-4.398) higher than the odds among patients without dementia. Patients with moderate and severe dementia before admission would be the target with high priority for providing transitional care.

Advance care planning in community dwellers: A constructivist grounded theory study of values, preferences and conflicts

2018 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ravi Taneja ◽  
Lisa Y Faden ◽  
Valerie Schulz ◽  
Asha Rawal ◽  
Kristina Miller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Advance Care Planning ◽  
Acute Care Hospital ◽  
Constructivist Grounded Theory ◽  
Care Planning ◽  
Care Hospital ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Advance Care

Background: Most laypeople have not engaged in any advance care planning. Yet they are expected to articulate choices for life-sustaining interventions when they need admission to an acute care hospital in Canada. Aim: To describe how laypeople understand and make decisions for life-sustaining interventions when engaging in advance care planning. Design: Semi-structured interviews using constructivist grounded theory methodology and purposive sampling. Setting: Mid-size Canadian urban community Participants: In total, 20 healthy laypeople, 55 years and older, participated in in-depth semi-structured face-to-face interviews. Theoretical sampling was used to explore findings from the first round of interviews. Ten participants were invited for repeat interviews. Results: Four major themes were identified. Most participants claimed at the outset that they had engaged in advance care planning, but they were unfamiliar with contemporary life-sustaining interventions and had not factored these into their decisions. Participants’ confidence in their substitute decision makers precluded them from having explicit discussions with these individuals. Participants expressed their values and preferences in terms of unacceptable functional outcomes from serious illness, rather than desired interventions. The process of articulating their preferences within the interviews was subject to decision conflicts, which in turn helped them re-evaluate and refine their decisions. Conclusion: Advance care planning for the healthy older adult is challenging. Meaningful engagement may lead to conflicts in decision-making. Efforts to improve engagement must reflect what patients know and understand, their focus on unacceptable negative outcomes rather than interventions, and the need for iterative discussions with health-care providers.

Interdisciplinary Therapy Assessments for the Older Adult

2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-16
Author(s):  
Lynn Chatfield ◽  
Sandra Christos ◽  
Michael McGregor
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Standardized Testing ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Outcome Measurement ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Patient Centered ◽  
Screening Process ◽  
Evidenced Based ◽  
Changing Economy

In a changing economy and a changing industry, health care providers need to complete thorough, comprehensive, and efficient assessments that provide both an accurate depiction of the patient's deficits and a blueprint to the path of treatment for older adults. Through standardized testing and observations as well as the goals and evidenced-based treatment plans we have devised, health care providers can maximize outcomes and the functional levels of patients. In this article, we review an interdisciplinary assessment that involves speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, and respiratory therapy to work with older adults in health care settings. Using the approach, we will examine the benefits of collaboration between disciplines, an interdisciplinary screening process, and the importance of sharing information from comprehensive discipline-specific evaluations. We also will discuss the importance of having an understanding of the varied scopes of practice, the utilization of outcome measurement tools, and a patient-centered assessment approach to care.

Effects of Cardiovascular Disease and Related Risk Factors on Neurocognition

2019 ◽  
pp. 83-116
Author(s):  
Spencer W. Liebel ◽  
Lawrence H. Sweet
Keyword(s):  
Cardiovascular Disease ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Cognitive Processing ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
The United States ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Neurocognitive Functioning ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Cardiac Events ◽  
Related Risk

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) affects approximately 44 million American adults older than age 60 years and remains the leading cause of death in the United States, with approximately 610,000 each year. With improved survival from acute cardiac events, older adults are often faced with the prospect of living with CVD, which causes significant psychological, social, and economic hardship. The various disease processes that constitute CVD also exert a deleterious effect on neurocognitive functioning. Although existing knowledge of neurocognitive functioning in CVD and its subtypes is substantial, a review of these findings by CVD type and neurocognitive domain does not exist, despite the potential impact of this information for patients, health care providers, and clinical researchers. This chapter provides a resource for clinicians and researchers on the epidemiology, mechanisms, and neurocognitive effects of CVDs. This chapter includes a discussion of neurocognitive consequences of CVD subtypes by neuropsychological domain and recommendations for assessment. Overall, the CVD subtypes that have the most findings available on specific neurocognitive domains are heart failure, hypertension, and atrial fibrillation. Despite a large discrepancy between the number of available studies across CVD subtypes, existing literature on neurocognitive effects by domain is consistent with the literature on the neurocognitive sequelae of unspecified CVD. Specifically, the research literature suggests that cognitive processing speed, attention, executive functioning, and memory are the domains most frequently affected. Given the prevalence of CVDs, neuropsychological assessment of older adults should include instruments that allow consideration of these potential neurocognitive consequences of CVD.

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