scholarly journals What Is the Community Pharmacists’ Role in Supporting Older Australians with Palliative Care Needs?

Healthcare ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 489
Author(s):  
Paul Tait ◽  
Amal Chakraborty ◽  
Kelly Jones ◽  
Jennifer Tieman
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Community Pharmacists ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Multidisciplinary Teams ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Australian Community ◽  
Palliative Care Needs

As the population ages, the number of older populations globally requiring palliative care is rapidly growing, requiring services of multidisciplinary teams—including community pharmacists. The aim of this study is to describe the community pharmacists’ perceived role in providing services to community dwelling older Australians receiving palliative care. Utilising an eight-domain End of Life Directions for Aged Care (ELDAC) care model, a national cross-sectional questionnaire was designed and undertaken online with Australian community pharmacists. Respondents were asked questions relating to socio-demographic characteristics, practice characteristics, and scope of services provided. Of the 62 pharmacists who responded to the questionnaire, 51 were included in the final data analysis and reporting. Pharmacists working in dispensing roles made up about half of the respondents, while the remainder worked in settings such as general practice, residential aged care, or providing medication review services. Pharmacists can identify patients with indicators of poor life expectancy and mostly work with older Australians daily. Dispensing and non-dispensing pharmacists offer a range of services that complement each other. Organisations caring for the aged should consider the role of the pharmacist, in caring for people with palliative care needs, along with their carers.

Identifying palliative care needs in residential care

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (6) ◽  
pp. 524
Author(s):  
Thilini Liyanage ◽  
Geoffrey Mitchell ◽  
Hugh Senior
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
End Of Life ◽  
Predictive Value ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Residential Aged Care ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Clinical Indicators ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Aged Care Facilities ◽  
Palliative Care Needs

The aim of this study is to determine the accuracy, feasibility and acceptability of the surprise question (SQ) in combination with a clinical prediction tool (Supportive and Palliative Care Indicator Tool (SPICT)) in identifying residents who have palliative care needs in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) in Australia. A prospective cohort study in two RACFs containing both high-level care (including dementia) and low-level care beds. Directors of Nursing screened 187 residents at risk of dying by 12 months using first the SQ, and if positive, then the SPICT. At 12-months follow-up, deaths, hospitalisations, use of palliative care services, end-of-life care and clinical indicators were recorded. The SQ had a sensitivity of 70%, a specificity of 69.6%, a positive predictive value of 40.6% and a negative predictive value of 88.7% for death. All residents identified by the SQ had at least two general indicators of deterioration, while 98.8% had at least one disease-specific indicator on the SPICT. The SPICT marginally increased the ability to identify residents in need of proactive end-of-life planning. A combination of the SQ and the SPICT is effective in predicting palliative care needs in residents of aged care facilities, and may trigger timely care planning.

scholarly journals A New Approach to the Identification of Palliative Care Needs and Advanced Chronic Patients among Nursing Home Residents

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 3171
Author(s):  
Ana A. Esteban-Burgos ◽  
María José Lozano-Terrón ◽  
Daniel Puente-Fernandez ◽  
César Hueso-Montoro ◽  
Rafael Montoya-Juárez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Nursing Homes ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Nursing Home Residents ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Chronic Patients ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Surprise Question ◽  
Palliative Care Needs

Background: Proper planning of Palliative Care in nursing homes requires advanced knowledge of the care needs that residents show. The aim of the study was to evaluate Palliative Needs and other conditions such as fragility, complexity, and prognosis and also to suggest new indicators for the establishment of the resident’s advanced chronic condition. Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted in 149 nursing homes Complex Chronic residents evaluated by trained professionals. Palliative Care Needs, assessed by the NECPAL ICO-CCOMS© tool, and fragility, case and palliative complexity and prognosis were evaluate through a comprehensive assessment. Descriptive analyses and association measures were performed setting the statistical significance at 0.05. Results: More than 50% of the residents had positive Surprise Question and other Palliative Needs and were classified as Advanced Chronic Patients. Distress and/or Severe Adaptative Disorder was the most frequent need shown by the residents and significant differences in levels of frailty and other characteristics, were found between the Positive and the Negative Surprise Question Groups. Statistically significant correlations were also found between aspects of both groups. Conclusions: Nursing homes residents show Palliative Needs regardless of the response to the Surprise Question of the NECPAL tool. Other characteristics such as presence of an intermediate level of frailty are suggested as a new perspective to identify advanced chronic patients among nursing homes residents.

scholarly journals Palliative Care Needs of Patients With Cancer Living in the Community

2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 382-388 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arif H. Kamal ◽  
Janet Bull ◽  
Dio Kavalieratos ◽  
Donald H. Taylor ◽  
William Downey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Palliative Care ◽  
Advanced Cancer ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Care Needs ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Palliative Care Needs

The authors describe the current palliative care needs of a population of community-dwelling patients with advanced cancer who are not yet ready for transition to hospice.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document