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End of Life Care
In end-of-life care, the focus shifts from curative treatment
to palliative care - addressing the physical, social, emotional,
and spiritual needs of patients. Palliative care may be provided
in a wide variety of settings, including the patient's home, a
nursing home or hospital.
Hospices provide care and support to patients and their families
that make the end of life as comfortable and meaningful as possible.
Services are provided by a team that include nursing care, personal
care, social services, physician visits, social work, pastoral
care, volunteer services and bereavement support. Pain and symptom
management is a priority. Hospice respects patients' individual
goals and choices about how to live their final days.
In Maine, the hospice system has not been fully used by cancer
patients, their families or their caregivers. There are complex
reasons to this, including lack of awareness, cultural beliefs,
barriers to access, and cost. In addition, pain control is a major
problem for many cancer patients. Even though the pain connected
with cancer can be managed well in most patients, cancer pain
is often under-treated.
Here are facts about hospice and palliative care:
- Most Mainers do not know what hospice is or what services
are offered.
- Comprehensive, coordinated end-of-life services across health
care settings nationally and in Maine are just beginning to
be developed.
- When surveyed, 90% of hospice agency respondents in Maine
reported that they provide services for which they are not paid.
- An estimated 60-70% of all cancer patients do not receive
adequate palliation of pain and symptoms.
End of Life Links
The Center
to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC)
The Canadian Hospice Palliative
Care Association
End of Life
Physician Education Resource Center (EPERC)
European
Journal of Palliative Care
Growth
House, Inc.,
Hospice and Palliative
Nurses Association (HPNA)
International
Association for Hospice and Palliative Care
Last Acts
Maine
Hospice Council
National
Council for Hospice and Specialist Palliative Care Services (UK)
The National
Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO)
National
Hospice Foundation (NHF)
Put It In Writing
(the American Hospital Association)
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