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Assessment of Palliative Care for Dying Hospitalized Elderly

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 November 2010

Ralph Shedletsky
Affiliation:
Sunnybrook Medical Centre, University of Toronto
Rory Fisher
Affiliation:
Sunnybrook Medical Centre, University of Toronto
Grant Nadon
Affiliation:
Sunnybrook Medical Centre, University of Toronto

Abstract

This paper describes a preliminary assessment of a departmental approach to palliative care for the dying older person. Forty patients who died in the Extended Care Wing of a teaching hospital were studied using the Palliative Care Assessment Record. Twenty-five were studied retrospectively while fifteen were followed prospectively. The results suggest that there may be subgroups of the terminally ill elderly, such as those with respiratory illnesses, requiring distinct care approaches. Suggestions are outlined regarding a more comprehensive assessment protocol to study this and related care issues.

Résumé

Cet article décrit une evaluation préliminaire d'une approche departmentale au soin palliatif pour les personnes âgées mourantes. Quarante patients qui sont morts dans le centre du soin chronique dans un hôpital d'enseignement furent étudié utilisant le Palliative Care Assessment Record. Vingt-cinq furent étudié rétrospectivement, tandis que quinze furent étudié prospectivement. Les résultats suggèrent qu'il existe possiblement des sousgroupes des personnes âgées mourantes, comme celles avec des maladies respiratoires, exigant des approches différentes au soin. Des suggestions sont offertes à propos d'un protocol d'evaluation plus comprehensif pour l'étude de ces questions des soin.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Canadian Association on Gerontology 1982

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References

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