Advance directives can benefit patients, families, and healthcare system
US – Health Canal
Nearly one out of four older Americans say that either they or a family member have experienced excessive or unwanted medical treatment, according to the latest issue of The Gerontological Society of America’s Public Policy & Aging Report.
Battle metaphors for cancer can be harmful
UK – Health Canal
Media portrayals of cancer as a battle to be fought, and its focus on ‘brave fighters’ beating the odds, can lead to feelings of guilt and failure in people with a terminal diagnosis, according to research.
Medicare to consider covering end of life counselling
US – Wall Street Journal
Medicare said Friday it will consider paying doctors to counsel patients about their options for end of life care.
Brittany Maynard, terminally ill woman, dies
Sky News
A terminally ill woman whose right-to-die campaigning rekindled a debate across America has ended her own life.
The difficult conversation everyone must have
Kevin MD
“There is no one-size-fits-all algorithm for end of life care but there is a right answer – one that can be found in an open, honest, and on-going discussion between patients, their family members, and their physicians about their wishes should they become unable to make their own decisions.”
2014 Palliative care in oncology symposium review
Pallimed blog
Second of two reviews of the inaugural 2014 Palliative Oncology conference, held last month.
Advance care planning tool PREPARE, now in Spanish!
GeriPal
PREPARE – an American online advance care planning tool – is now available in Spanish.
Ebola in Sierra Leone ‘spreading quickly’ – campaign group
BBC News
Ebola cases are continuing to rise “frighteningly quickly” in areas of Sierra Leone, an international campaign group has said.
Ebola appeal receives £4m in two days, organisers say
BBC News
A public appeal to help people affected by the Ebola crisis in West Africa has received £4 million in donations in its first two days, organisers have said.
Addressing unmet palliative and geriatric needs of zombies
GeriPal blog
Considerable evidence indicates that zombies do not receive optimal palliative or geriatric care…
Nurses express “profound” concerns about care of dying
ehospice UK
A third of nurses have been unable to fulfil their patients’ dying wishes because they do not have enough time, according to a survey published by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).
Getting doctors into where they count
ehospice Australia
The Australian Medical Association has welcomed the federal government’s announcement that it will overhaul workforce classification systems that have discouraged doctors from working outside major Australia cities.
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