Applied physiotherapeutic and occupational therapeutic interventions within palliative care: an exploratory survey

2019 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 109-116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bert Leysen ◽  
Arne Van Daele ◽  
Tom Verrept ◽  
Wim Saeys
Author(s):  
Ulrike Schrifl ◽  
SakkuBai Naidu ◽  
Ali Fatemi

The term “leukodystrophies” refers to a group of genetic diseases characterized by degeneration of white matter in the central nervous system. Depending on the type of leukodystrophy, the phenotype can range from early infantile-onset, rapid, progressive forms to adult-onset slowly progressive variants. The understanding, definition, and classification have been enhanced greatly by the combined use of neuroimaging, especially MRI, and genetic techniques. The window for targeted therapeutic interventions remains brief and management is often limited to symptomatic, supportive, and palliative care, and new approaches for treatment remain a great task for future research.


Author(s):  
Anna Parackal ◽  
Karishini Ramamoorthi ◽  
Jean-Eric Tarride

Background: End-of-life care is a driver of increasing healthcare costs; however, palliative care interventions may significantly reduce these costs. Economic evaluations that measure the incremental cost per quality adjusted life years (QALY) are warranted to inform cost-effectiveness of the intervention relative to a comparator and permit evaluation of investment against other therapeutic interventions. Evidence from the literature up to 2011 indicates a scarcity of cost-utility studies in palliative care research. Aim: This literature review evaluates economic studies published between 2011 and 2019 to determine whether the methods of economic evaluations have evolved since 2011. Design and Data Sources: A literature search was completed using CENTRAL, OVID MEDLINE, EMBASE and other sources for publications between 2011 and 2019. Study characteristics, methodology and key findings of publications that met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Quality of studies were assessed using indicators developed by authors of the previous literature review. Results: 46 papers were included for qualitative synthesis. Among them only 6 studies conducted formal cost-effectiveness evaluations-of these 5 measured QALYs and 1 employed probabilistic analyses. In addition, with the exception of 1 costing analysis, all other economic evaluations undertook a healthcare payer perspective. Quality of evidence were comparable to the previous literature review published in 2011. Conclusion: Despite the small increase in the number of cost-utility studies, the methods of palliative care economic evaluations have not evolved significantly since 2011. More probabilistic cost-utility analyses of palliative care interventions from a societal perspective are necessary to truly evaluate the value for money.


2002 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. KELLY ◽  
P. BURNETT ◽  
D. PELUSI ◽  
S. BADGER ◽  
F. VARGHESE ◽  
...  

Background. There is considerable debate regarding the clinical issues surrounding the wish to hasten death (WTHD) in the terminally ill. The clinical factors contributing to the WTHD need further investigation among the terminally ill in order to enhance understanding of the clinical assessment and treatment needs that underlie this problem. A more detailed understanding may assist with the development of appropriate therapeutic interventions.Method. A sample of terminally ill cancer patients (N=256) recruited from an in-patient hospice unit, home palliative care service and a general hospital palliative care consulting service from Brisbane Australia between 1998–2001 completed a questionnaire assessing psychological (depression and anxiety), social (family relationship, social support, level of burden on others) and the impact of physical symptoms. The association between these factors and the WTHD was investigated.Results. A high WTHD was reported by 14% of patients. A discriminant function analysis revealed that the following variables were associated with a high WTHD (P<0·001): higher levels of depressive symptoms, being admitted to an in-patient hospice setting, a greater perception of being a burden on others, lower family cohesion, lower levels of social support, higher levels of anxiety and greater impact of physical symptoms.Conclusions. Psychological and social factors are related to a WTHD among terminally ill cancer patients. Greater attention needs to be paid to the assessment of psychological and social issues in order to provide appropriate therapeutic interventions for terminally ill patients.


2013 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabetta Cerboni ◽  
Maria Adelaide Ricciotti ◽  
Antonella Galiano ◽  
Adriana Turriziani

Per Cure Palliative si intende l’insieme degli interventi terapeutici, diagnostici e assistenziali rivolti sia alla persona malata, sia al suo nucleo familiare, finalizzati alla cura attiva e totale dei pazienti la cui malattia di base, caratterizzata da un’inarrestabile evoluzione e da una prognosi infausta, non risponde più a trattamenti specifici. La Legge n. 38 del 15 marzo 2010 tutela il diritto del cittadino ad accedere alle Cure Palliative e alla terapia del dolore nel nostro Paese. Come specificato nell’art.1 della Legge 38/2010 è tutelato e garantito, in particolare, il diritto all’accesso alle Cure Palliative e alla terapia del dolore da parte del malato, al fine di assicurare il rispetto della dignità e dell’autonomia della persona umana, il bisogno di salute, l’equità nell’accesso all’assistenza, la qualità delle cure e la loro appropriatezza. L’approccio delle Cure Palliative è finalizzato non solo al controllo dei sintomi, ma soprattutto alla difesa e al recupero della migliore qualità di vita possibile attuando interventi mirati a coinvolgere anche la sfera psicologica, sociale e spirituale. La natura stessa di tale disciplina impone che l’attenzione venga rivolta alla persona nella sua totalità più che alla sola malattia. In tale contesto si inserisce il bisogno di significato, inteso come ricerca del senso della propria vita, che è universale e che, nella condizione di malattia cronica evolutiva assume un’importanza peculiare, andando di pari passo con la ricerca del senso della sofferenza. La ricerca di significato nella maggior parte dei casi non viene tracciata nella comune pratica clinica. La Logoterapia, fondata da Viktor Frankl, è un orientamento psicoterapeutico volto ad aiutare l’uomo a ritrovare il senso della vita. Obiettivo della logoterapia e del logocounseling è quello di cercare di ridare una speranza di vita, un motivo di vita a chi a causa di un evento critico ha paura di aver perso la propria identità. Il nostro contributo si propone di esaminare alcuni aspetti della ricerca di significato, in particolare: la “neurochimica” del significato come aspetto della psico-neuro-endocrino-immunologia, le conversazioni di fine vita come strumento di accesso alla logoterapia, il sofferto percorso di ricerca di significato affrontato nel Libro di Giobbe. ---------- Palliative Care are all therapeutic interventions, diagnostic and care services, aimed at both the sick person and to the family, for the active and total treatment of patients whose underlying disease, characterized by a relentless progress and a poor prognosis, does not respond to specific treatments. The Law n. 38 of 15 March 2010 protects the right of Italian citizens to have access to Palliative Care and pain management. As specified in Article 1 of Law 38/2010 it is protected and guaranteed, in particular, access to Palliative Care and pain therapy for the patient, in order to ensure the respect of human dignity and the autonomy of the human person, the need for health, equity in access to care, the quality of care and their appropriateness. The approach of Palliative Care is aimed not only at controlling the symptoms, but also the defense and recovery of the best possible quality of life by implementing targeted interventions which involve also the psychological, social and spiritual dimension of life. The nature of this discipline requires that the attention must be paid to the person rather than the disease itself. In this contest, there is the need for meaning, understood as a search for meaning of life, which is universal and that, in the condition of rapid evolution illnesses assumes a special importance including the search for the meaning of suffering. Despite its importance, the search for meaning in most cases is not examined in common clinical practice. Logotherapy, founded by Viktor Frankl, is a psychotherapeutic approach aimed at helping man to rediscover the meaning of life. The aim of logotherapy and logocounseling is to try to restore hope of life to those who are afraid of losing their identity because of a critical event. The purpose of our contribution is to examine some aspects of the search for meaning, in particular: the “neurochemistry” of meaning as an aspect of psycho-neuro-endocrino-immunology, the end of life conversations as means of access to logotherapy, the suffered search for meaning addressed in the Book of Job.


Author(s):  
Hendra Lo ◽  
Vilmar Frauendorf ◽  
Sandra Wischke ◽  
Christin Schimmath-Deutrich ◽  
Markus Kersten ◽  
...  

Abstract Purpose This study aims to evaluate the use of handheld ultrasound devices (HHUS) for point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) to improve outpatient care in rural Brandenburg. Materials and Methods A group of general practitioners (n = 9), palliative care physicians (n = 6), emergency physicians (n = 4), and nurses from palliative care services (n = 5) participated in this study. Following a 3-hour workshop and 2 weeks of individual training, participants performed POCUS using HHUS (HH-POCUS). Indications, examination results, and resulting treatment changes (e. g., acute interventions, new medication) were documented in a standardized data entry form. Results 19 physicians with different ultrasound experience and 5 palliative care nurses attended the workshop program and took part in the study. Three of the participating physicians were out of training in ultrasound and received prolonged supervision. Among 427 HH-POCUS examinations, the FAST scan and kidney scan were performed most often. Pain and dyspnea were the most common indications for HH-POCUS. Among the examinations performed by physicians (n = 311), ascites was the most common pathology (27 % of cases). Using a simplified examination protocol, palliative care nurses diagnosed fluid collections, hydronephrosis and transurethral catheter position or urinary retention. In 80.4 % of physician-performed cases, HH-POCUS made a valuable impact on patient management. HH-POCUS contributed to treatment decisions in 49.5 % of cases, including a change of medication in 29.6 % and performance of therapeutic interventions in 19.9 %. Hospital admission or referral to an ambulatory specialist was initiated due to HH-POCUS findings in 17.7 % of patients. Conclusion HH-POCUS helped doctors in rural areas to optimize patient care through rapid on-site collection of therapeutically relevant findings. In addition, it was shown that specialized and motivated nurses can independently detect simple ultrasound findings and thus provide clinically relevant information to doctors.


2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-127
Author(s):  
Kathrin Adler ◽  
Daniel Schlieper ◽  
Detlef Kindgen-Milles ◽  
Stefan Meier ◽  
Manuela Schallenburger ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Bee Wee

Palliative care addresses the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs of someone with advanced, progressive, and fatal disease. Good symptom control requires meticulous assessment, effective two-way communication, and the wise use of drugs, supported by other therapeutic interventions. Common symptoms are (1) pain—one of the most feared symptoms in patients with advanced malignant disease; managed with disease modifying treatments, nondrug measures (e.g. heat pads), and/or analgesics (see also ...


Author(s):  
Jane M. Ingham ◽  
Helen M. Moore ◽  
Jane L. Phillips ◽  
Russell K. Portenoy

Symptom assessment is an essential element of good clinical care as it is a key step in the diagnostic process and in the development and implementation of a management plan aimed towards reducing illness burden and suffering. Furthermore, symptom assessment is crucial for testing of therapeutic interventions in clinical research particularly in palliative care research. A number of important factors must be considered, including the subjective nature of symptoms and subtle differences in meaning of symptom descriptors. To aid symptom assessment, an array of instruments has been validated for various symptoms and various patient populations. Instrument selection must be guided by an understanding of the goals of assessment and the practicality, applicability, acceptability, and validity of the instrument in the particular setting and population. This chapter addresses the complexities of symptom assessment and provides an overview of some of the available symptom instruments for consideration for use in palliative care settings.


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