The function and role of hospice and palliative care facilities in the community

Pharmacists are considered to have a pivotal role in the provision of information in oncology, and in hospice and palliative care. Effective communication is essential for optimal drug safety, timely treatment, medication compliance, and education. The role of the pharmacist has expanded to offer enhanced pharmaceutical care, which serves to improve the communication between healthcare providers and the function of the multidisciplinary team. Furthermore, through optimal communication with patients there will be increased treatment adherence and improved overall care. This chapter focuses on the breadth of communication issues faced by pharmacists involved in cancer care through the full length of the cancer journey, be it curative or palliative.

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The Role of Physical Therapists Within Hospice and Palliative Care in the United States and Canada

American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine® ◽

10.1177/1049909115604668 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 34 (1) ◽

pp. 34-41 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Christopher M. Wilson ◽

Christine H. Stiller ◽

Deborah J. Doherty ◽

Kristine A. Thompson

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Palliative Care ◽

Data Analysis ◽

Physical Therapy ◽

Physical Therapists ◽

The United States ◽

Direct Patient Care ◽

Life Threatening ◽

Hospice And Palliative Care

Purpose: Little is known regarding the extent to which physical therapy is integrated into Hospice and Palliative Care (HPC). The purpose of this study was to describe perceptions of physical therapists (PTs) regarding their role within HPC or working with patients having life-threatening illnesses and to develop a conceptual framework depicting a PTs role within HPC and factors affecting it. Participants: Ten PTs, 5 from the United States and 5 from Canada, with at least 5 years of physical therapy experience and 5 years working experience with patients having life-threatening illnesses or in HPC. Methods: Demographic data were collected by electronic questionnaire. A semistructured interview was conducted with each participant to investigate their perceptions about the role of PTs in HPC. Data Analysis: Interview results were analyzed for trends between participants, practice settings, regions, and other sociocultural aspects. The constant comparative method of qualitative data analysis was used to identify similarities and differences and to develop themes and concepts relative to the role of PT in HPC. Results: Participants identified their 3 primary roles in HPC: providing patient/family care, serving as an interdisciplinary team member, and fulfilling professional responsibilities outside of direct patient care. They described factors within and outside direct patient care which influenced their roles. Concepts included shifting priorities, care across the continuum, and changing perceptions of PTs within HPC. Clinical Relevance: This study described perceptions of the role of PTs within HPC that may be utilized when coordinating future strategies to appropriately promote and expand the role.

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The role of hospice and palliative care in supporting and fostering trust among the LGBTQ+ population

Palliative Care and Social Practice ◽

10.1177/26323524211042637 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 15 ◽

pp. 263235242110426

Author(s):

Natasha Dhawan ◽

Anais A. Ovalle ◽

Jonathan C. Yeh

Keyword(s):

Palliative Care ◽

Hospice And Palliative Care

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Response and role of palliative care during the COVID-19 pandemic: a national telephone survey of hospices in Italy

10.1101/2020.03.18.20038448 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Massimo Costantini ◽

Katherine E Sleeman ◽

Carlo Peruselli ◽

Irene J Higginson

Keyword(s):

Palliative Care ◽

Personal Protective Equipment ◽

System Response ◽

Protective Equipment ◽

List Type ◽

Telephone Support ◽

Community Settings ◽

Policy Changes ◽

Hospice And Palliative Care

AbstractBackgroundPalliative care is an important component of healthcare in pandemics, contributing to symptom control, psychological support, and supporting triage and complex decision making.AimTo examine preparedness for, and impact of, the COVID-19 pandemic on hospices in Italy to inform the response in other countries.DesignCross-sectional telephone survey, carried out in March 2020.SettingSixteen Italian hospices, purposively sampled according to COVID-19 risk into high (more than 25 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 inhabitants), medium (15-25 cases per 100,000), and low risk (fewer than 15 cases per 100,000) regions. A brief questionnaire was developed to guide the interviews. Descriptive analysis was undertaken.ResultsSeven high risk, five medium risk and four low risk hospices provided data. Two high risk hospices had experienced COVID-19 cases among both patients and staff. All hospices had implemented policy changes, and several had rapidly implemented changes in practice including transfer of staff from inpatient to community settings, change in admission criteria, and daily telephone support for families. Concerns included scarcity of personal protective equipment, a lack of hospice-specific guidance on COVID-19, anxiety about needing to care for children and other relatives, and poor integration of palliative care in the acute setting.ConclusionThe hospice sector is capable of responding flexibly and rapidly to the COVID-19 pandemic. Governments must urgently recognise the essential contribution of hospice and palliative care to the COVID-19 pandemic, and ensure these services are integrated into the health care system response. Availability of personal protective equipment and setting-specific guidance is essential.What is already knownThe Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has estimated global mortality of 3.4%, and numbers of cases are rapidly escalating worldwide.Hospice services face unprecedented pressure, with resources rapidly stretched beyond normal bounds.No data exist on the response and role of hospice and palliative care teams to COVID-19.Within Europe, Italy has been most affected by COVID-19.What this paper addsWe surveyed 16 Italian hospices in March 2020, all of which had implemented rapid policy changes in response to COVID-19.Changes to practice included moving to more support in community settings, change in admission criteria, and daily telephone support for families.Personal protective equipment and guidance were lacking.Assessments of risk and potential impact on staff varied greatly.Implications for policy and practiceGovernments must recognise the hospice and palliative care sector as an essential component of the health care system response to COVID-19.The hospice sector is capable of responding rapidly to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the potential of this response will be undermined unless hospices can access personal protective equipment.Considerations for hospice services during the COVID-19 pandemic are changes to visitor policies, interruption of volunteering, shifting roles and responsibilities such as greater community working and telephone support for relatives.

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Palliative care in Canada

Oxford Textbook of Palliative Nursing ◽

10.1093/med/9780199332342.003.0072 ◽

2015 ◽

pp. 1058-1071

Author(s):

Doris Howell ◽

Ann Syme

Keyword(s):

Palliative Care ◽

Care Service ◽

Healthcare Delivery ◽

Palliative Care Service ◽

Population Diversity ◽

Life Care ◽

Hospice And Palliative Care ◽

Advocacy Role ◽

Hospice Palliative Care

This chapter describes palliative and end-of-life care from the national and provincial perspectives and trends and innovations in hospice and palliative care service delivery in Canada and specifically the developments in nursing. To provide a context within Canada, factors that have influenced the development of hospice palliative care in Canada inclusive of geographic and population diversity; the three levels of government accountable for healthcare delivery at the federal, provincial, and regional levels; and the advocacy role of the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association are also described.

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The role of the creative arts in palliative care

10.1093/med/9780198821328.003.0022 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 213-218

Author(s):

Nigel Hartley

Keyword(s):

Palliative Care ◽

Art Music ◽

Creative Arts ◽

Community Arts ◽

The Arts ◽

Health And Social Care ◽

Palliative Care Setting ◽

Hospice And Palliative Care ◽

Bereavement Care

The use of the creative arts across palliative care and within hospices in particular is wide-ranging and multifaceted. Over the years they have ranged from being used as a technique for mere distraction by volunteers to being developed alongside the arts in the health and social care movement to being recognized as a registered profession in many countries across the world as the arts therapies, including the four arts disciplines of art, music, dance, and drama. Community arts have also grown in popularity, where the arts in hospice and palliative care have become vehicles for both community engagement and public cohesion around all things death, dying, and bereavement. This chapter focuses on the arts as a many-sided response to the psychosocial and spiritual elements of end of life and bereavement care. Case studies are introduced to provide concrete examples of the breadth of their usefulness in the palliative care setting. The chapter also acknowledges that although the creative arts have certainly grown in stature and acceptance over the last 50 years, there is still much work to be done, including developing solid and respected research paradigms and techniques to further prove the efficacy of creative arts practice.

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