TY - JOUR
T1 - Palliative care for elderly patients with advanced cancer
T2 - A long-term intervention for end-of-life care
AU - Wittenberg-Lyles, Elaine M.
AU - Sanchez-Reilly, Sandra
PY - 2008/6
Y1 - 2008/6
N2 - Objective: This essay identifies elderly cancer patients as a population that experiences cancer-related health disparities at the end-of-life. Methods: While hospice and palliative care (PC) are care options for this population, it is argued that PC prior to hospice will yield numerous benefits for long-term end-of-life care. Results: It is theorized that PC prior to hospice will be beneficial in meeting the family's needs in a timely and adequate manner, improving quality of life, increasing caregiver satisfaction and communication, possibly delay institutionalization of the patient, and may ultimately impact bereavement. Conclusion: Patients would be able to benefit from PC in an early stage of their disease, positively influencing older cancer patients and families. Practice implications: Long-term assessment of the impact of PC prior to hospice is proposed as a promising direction of future research.
AB - Objective: This essay identifies elderly cancer patients as a population that experiences cancer-related health disparities at the end-of-life. Methods: While hospice and palliative care (PC) are care options for this population, it is argued that PC prior to hospice will yield numerous benefits for long-term end-of-life care. Results: It is theorized that PC prior to hospice will be beneficial in meeting the family's needs in a timely and adequate manner, improving quality of life, increasing caregiver satisfaction and communication, possibly delay institutionalization of the patient, and may ultimately impact bereavement. Conclusion: Patients would be able to benefit from PC in an early stage of their disease, positively influencing older cancer patients and families. Practice implications: Long-term assessment of the impact of PC prior to hospice is proposed as a promising direction of future research.
KW - Advanced cancer
KW - Elderly
KW - Palliative care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=43049139079&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=43049139079&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.pec.2008.02.023
DO - 10.1016/j.pec.2008.02.023
M3 - Article
C2 - 18372143
AN - SCOPUS:43049139079
SN - 0738-3991
VL - 71
SP - 351
EP - 355
JO - Patient Education and Counseling
JF - Patient Education and Counseling
IS - 3
ER -