Palliative Care For Care Homes

In our society, the overwhelming majority of people die in later life. They typically die slowly of chronic diseases, with multiple co-existing problems over long periods of time. They spend the majority of their final years at home, but many will die in hospitals or care homes. This book explores the possibilities for improving the care of older people dying in residential care and nursing homes. It argues that there are aspects of palliative care that, given the right circumstances, are transferable to dying people in settings that are not domestic or hospice based. End of Life in Care Homes describes what happens in nursing and residential care homes when a resident is dying, how carers cope, and the practical, health and emotional challenges that carers face on top of their day-to-day work. Based on detailed research from both the UK and US, the book shows how the situation can be improved.

In this work, contributors from nursing and medicine, from the social and health sciences, and from ethics and health planning provide an international perspective on key issues in relation to end-of-life care such as: assessment; loss, autonomy and the ethics of end-of-life decision making.

This book provides an unique resource for registered nurses working in hospice palliative care at home and for the community, outside of acute care settings and also incorporates literature related to palliative care in acute health care settings, as part of the overall services and supports required. Very few resources exist which specifically address hospice palliative care in the home setting, despite the fact that most palliative care occurs outside acute care settings and is primarily supported by unpaid family caregivers. An overview of the concerns for individuals and families, as well as specific nursing interventions, from all ages would be an excellent support for nursing students and practicing registered nurses alike. The book structure begins with a description of the goals and objectives of hospice palliative care and the nursing role in providing excellent supportive care. Chapters include research findings and specifically research completed by the authors in the areas of pediatric palliative care, palliative care for those with dementia, and the needs of family caregivers in bereavement. Interventions developed by the editors are provided in this book, such as the “Finding Balance Intervention” for bereaved caregivers; the “Reclaiming Yourself” tool for bereaved spouses of partners with dementia; and The Keeping Hope Possible Toolkit for families of children with life threatening and life limiting illnesses. The development and application of these theory-based interventions are also highlighted. Videos and vignettes written by family caregivers about what was helpful for them, provide a patient-and family-centered approach./div The book will benefit nursing students, educators and practicing registered nurses by providing information, theory, and evidence from research.

Palliative Nursing is an evidence-based practical guide fornurses working in areas of practice where general palliative careis provided. This may be in hospitals, nursing homes, dementiaunits, the community and any other clinical areas which are notclassified as specialist palliative care. This book first explores the history and ethos of palliativecare, and then looks at palliative nursing across various caresettings. It then looks at palliative nursing care for peoplewith specific illnesses, including heart failure, dementia, chronicobstructive pulmonary disease, cancer, and neurological conditions.Palliative care for children and young people is discussed, andthen the book finally looks at education and research in palliativenursing. Palliative Nursing will be essential readingfor all nurses working with palliative care patients in a nonspecialist role, i.e. in hospitals, primary care and nursing homes,as well as nursing students. SPECIAL FEATURES Explores the palliative nursing issues related to specificdiseases groups Written in the context of the new national tools, i.e. the endof life initiative, preferred place of care, Liverpool care pathwayand Gold standards framework. Each chapter includes practice points and cases to allow thepractitioner to undertake guided reflection to improvepractice Written by nurses for nurses Provides guidance for nurses working in all four countries ofthe UK

The ageing of society is becoming a major public health issue, posing challenges to social and health care structures in many countries. This book demonstrates the added value of palliative care which, although traditionally focused on cancer and the very end of life, can play a role in strengthening and complementing the care of older people. The book outlines the current state of worldwide policy work, research, and innovations in the field of public health and palliative care for older people and concludes with recommendations for policy and decision makers, at international and national level.

Care home workers increasingly work with people nearing the end of their lives, including people with medically complex conditions. However, many do not have a medical background and find that practical advice on how to address these people's very specific needs is scarce. In this book, Christine Reddall draws on almost four decades of nursing experience to create a clear and easy-to-read handbook primarily for workers caring for the dying in care homes, but which will also be of interest to family members caring for relatives with life-threatening conditions.'This is a resource book to provide information on palliative care. It is designed primarily to help carers who work in care homes of all categories. To my knowledge, this is the first book written solely for carers working in care homes that addresses the issues of caring for someone with palliative care needs. However, people with whom I have spoken to about this book, or who have read parts of it, have all said that it would also be a helpful resource to non-professional family carers who care for a family member in their own home. The style of this book is designed to be readable by all levels of carers, and I have endeavoured to keep the language and text as 'non-medical' as possible. I have tried to put myself in the shoes of carers, especially those without medical training, and think of what they want to know when caring for someone with a life threatening illness' - Christine Reddall in her Preface.

This volume outlines the belief that nursing homes can and should support the physical, psychological, and social needs of residents, and that residents can thrive in nursing homes when these needs are met. The book's contributors explore the role that palliative or comfort care plays in enhancing the quality of life of nursing home residents as well as the medical, familial, psychological, cultural, and financial issues that influence decision-making about end-of-life care. The book is designed to be a tool to prepare social workers to advocate for a greater incorporation of palliative care and psychosocial care into the culture of nursing home care. The book includes discussions of the psychosocial needs of nursing home residents and families, the financing of long-term care and end-of-life care, ethical issues in chronic care and end of life, trends and characteristics in nursing home care, rituals and grief at end-of-life, and considerations for the future. Each chapter includes case examples to further illustrate points made.

This book examines the policies, challenges, and quality of life issues in palliative care and nursing home care facilities. Some topics discussed in this compilation include: identifying the palliative care needs of home-based dementia patients and their caregivers; the functions of sexuality in older adults living in nursing homes and increasing awareness of staff and family members to this issue; haematology and non-oncological respiratory patients in palliative care; the changing role of the licensed practical nurse in nursing home care; obese nursing residents and their special considerations; gynaecological cancer and palliative cancer care; and neonatal palliative care.