Palliative Care

Question 1

What factors influence responses to death and dying?

Answer 1

• Age
• Culture
• Religion
• Past experiences

Question 2

List some of the challenges faced by people who are dying

Answer 2

• Fear of death and dying
• Uncertainty about the future
• Loss of meaning and purpose
• Loss of spiritual direction or beliefs
• Challenges to beliefs
• Changing relationships and roles
• Sense of unfairness
• Feelings of isolation
• Loss of control
• Feeling of loss of worth
• Loss of sense of dignity
• Fears of being a burden or dependent
• Fears of suffering
• Concerns about appearance and body image

Question 3

What is palliative care?

Answer 3

An approach that improves quality of life of pts and their families facing problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and rx of pain and other problems, physical, psychological, and spiritual

(WHO)

Question 4

What are the key principles of palliative care?

Answer 4

• Used early in the course of an illness, not just as end-of-life care
• Promotes holistic care to ensure physical, psychological, social and spiritual well-being
• Family and significant others are included in the care process
• Emphasis on assessment, early identification and implementation of appropriate treatments
• Disease modifying treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, are part of palliative care
• Palliative care can be provided in any setting
• Emphasis on a team approach to care

Question 5

What are the communication principles for palliative care?

Answer 5

P - Prepare for the discussion, where possible

R - Relate to the person

E - Elicit patient and caregiver preferences

P - Provide information tailored to the individual needs of both patients and their families

A - Acknowledge emotions and concerns

R - Realistic hope (foster e.g. peaceful death, support)

E - Encourage questions and further discussions

D - Document