Learning from those who are dying: the key to good palliative care social work
UK− Community Care
A new resource demonstrates the value of social work at the end of life by drawing on the lived experience of people facing death or bereavement, writes Gerry Nosowska.
How ‘Before I Die’ Walls Boost Palliative Care
US – Home Health
Palliative care appears to be near a tipping point, both due to increasing demand and the ways in which home health agencies and other health care providers are figuring out how to offer and pay for it. While access to palliative care has spread in recent years, awareness and availability of these services is still considered slim.
EAPC Blog
It is not uncommon for terminally ill patients (deemed as being in the last weeks of life) to be neglected with regard to artificial feeding and interventional procedures such as venting gastrostomy. This may be partly due to the wrong assumption that a patient who is not for cardio-pulmonary resuscitation will, by default, not receive any active treatment.
Some People Do Not Want to Be with Loved Ones at Time of Death (and that’s okay)
US – Pallimed
A little over a year ago I wrote a Pallimed article called, “We Don’t Know Death: 7 Assumptions We Make about the Dying.” Having knowledge of our assumptions is a first step, but what do we do with that knowledge? Since I wrote that article, I have further contemplated the “so what” factor of the assumptions to develop suggested interventions.
.Opinion: CDC Guideline – Not Patient Focused
US – National Pain Report
When the CDC announced its new voluntary guideline for opioid prescribing, the National Pain Report turned to one of our frequent contributors, Dr. Terri Lewis. She studies (and comments) on the U.S. health care system. As a daughter and mother of chronic pain patients, she has written on access and quality issues. Here’s her reaction to the CDC announcement.
Patients in Pain, and a Doctor Who Must Limit Drugs
US – The New York Times
Susan Kubicka-Welander takes a lot of medication for chronic pain, but today it was just not enough. Yet rather than increasing her dose, Dr Wergin was tapering her down. “Susan, we’ve got to get you to five pills a day,” he said gently. She winced.
Health Care’s Undiscovered Assets
US – The Huffington Post
Most Americans are not familiar with professionally trained, board certified health care chaplains who undergo intensive academic and clinical training to bring comfort and meaning to patients and their families. While doctors and nurses can heal the body, caring for the spirit takes a different kind of training and skill.
‘What is a life worth?’: Doctor passionate about palliative care for the homeless
Canada – The Star Phoenix
Dr Naheed Dosani still remembers Terry, the man who inspired his passion to improve palliative care for homeless people.
Drawing portraits of dying people in hospice taught this artist about living
US – The Washington Post
Artist Claudia Bicen is interested in how death informs views on life. After volunteering at a hospice program last summer, she drew portraits of the patients and transcribed parts of their conversations on life and death.
Bishop of Limerick opens new family room in St John’s Hospital
ehospice Ireland
Bishop of Limerick, Brendan Leahy opened the Family Room in St John’s Hospital, Limerick, which will provide a dedicated space for families of patients who are dying.
Research reflections: research active hospices
ehospice UK
Sarah Russell and Melanie Hodson from Hospice UK ask if hospices can afford not to be involved in research.
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