Palliative Care: A Quiet Revolution in Patient Care
The opening quote from the Institute of Medicine stands in stark contrast to the reality that dying can be the last great time of living. Sadly, multiple studies have confirmed…
Loss, Bereavement, and Adaptation
Approaches to grief for bereaved family members are an important focus of theoretical, empirical, and clinical work in palliative care. However, it is essential also to focus on the experiences…
Supporting the Family in Palliative Care
As an individual’s illness progresses, family members play an increased role in caregiving and decision making. In the effort to manage changing care needs and maximize their loved one’s quality…
Urinary Incontinence
Urinary incontinence is a relatively common problem seen in patients at the end of life, but the exact prevalence is not clear. Studies of symptom prevalence at the end of…
Constipation
Constipation is sometimes regarded as a minor symptom by care providers. However, this is not the case with palliative care patients. The prevalence of constipation in the overall population varies…
Part A: Cachexia
Cachexia is a complex syndrome with loss of muscle mass as its prominent feature. It occurs in many disease states, such as cancer, chronic infections (human immunodeficiency virus [HIV], tuberculosis),…
Depression and Anxiety
Case Study Mrs. A. is a 61-year-old, married woman diagnosed approximately 1 year ago with small cell carcinoma of the lung. She has undergone multiple treatments, including several chemotherapy regimens….
