End-of-life expectations and experiences among nursing home patients and their relatives—A synthesis of qualitative studies

Objective

Synthesize research about patients’ and relatives’ expectations and experiences on how doctors can improve end-of-life care in nursing homes.

Methods

We systematically searched qualitative studies in English in seven databases (Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Ageline, Cochrane Systematic Reviews and Cochrane Trials). We included 14 publications in the analysis with meta-ethnography.

Results

Patients and families emphasized the importance of health personnel anticipating illness trajectories and recognizing the information and palliation needed. Family members who became proxy decision-makers reported uncertainty and distress when guidance from health personnel was lacking. They worried about staff shortage and emphasized doctor availability. Relatives and health personnel seldom recognized patients’ ability to consent, and patients’ preferences were not always recognized.

Conclusion

Nursing home patients and their relatives wanted doctors more involved in end-of-life care. They expected doctors to acknowledge their preferences and provide guidance and symptom relief.

Practice implications

High-quality end-of-life care in nursing homes relies on organization, funding and skilled staff, including available doctors who are able to recognize illness trajectories and perform individualized Advance Care Planning.     

Living in uncertain times: trajectories to death in residential care homes

Background

Older people living in care homes often have limited life expectancy. Practitioners and policymakers are increasingly questioning the appropriateness of many acute hospital admissions and the quality of end-of-life care provided in care homes.

Aim

To describe care home residents’ trajectories to death and care provision in their final weeks of life.

Design and setting

Prospective study of residents in six residential care homes in three sociodemographically varied English localities: Hertfordshire, Essex, and Cambridgeshire.

Method

Case note reviews and interviews with residents, care home staff, and healthcare professionals.

Results

Twenty-three out of 121 recruited residents died during the study period. Four trajectories to death were identified: ‘anticipated dying’ with an identifiable end-of-life care period and death in the care home (n = 9); ‘unexpected dying’ with death in the care home that was not anticipated and often sudden (n = 3); ‘uncertain dying’ with a period of diagnostic uncertainty or difficult symptom management leading to hospital admission and inpatient death (n = 7); and ‘unpredictable dying’ with an unexpected event leading to hospital admission and inpatient death (n = 4). End-of-life care tools were rarely used. Most residents who had had one or more acute hospital admission were still alive at the end of the study.

Conclusion

For some care home residents there was an identifiable period when they were approaching the end-of-life and planned care was put in place. For others, death came unexpectedly or during a period of considerable uncertainty, with care largely unplanned and reactive to events.     

长寿老人主观幸福感及其相关因素研究

目的:了解长寿老人主观幸福感及其影响因素。方法:采用横断面整群抽样调查方法,对732例都江堰市90岁以上老人进行费城老年中心信心量表(PGCMS)、家庭关怀度指数(APGAR)、中文版简易智能状态检查(MMSE)、日常生活能力量表(ADL)及社会支持量表(SSRS)调查。结果:PGCMS在90-108岁老人中呈负偏态分布,PGCMS总分为1-23分,M(QL-QU)为17(13-19)。各年龄组间PGCMS的差异无统计学意义,PGCMS与SSRS中的主观社会支持、客观社会支持及APGAR、MMSE、ADL中的躯体生活自理分量表的相关有统计学意义。结论:PGCMS在90-108岁老人中呈负偏态分布,分值不随年龄的增加而变化。对90—108岁长寿老人主观幸福感有影响的因子及强度依次为主观社会支持、客观社会支持、认知功能状况、家庭关怀情况及日常生活中躯体生活自理能力。     

Elder Abuse in the African Diaspora: A Review

Background

As with many other populations, abuse of older adults is a growing problem across the Africa Diaspora. Modernization and urbanization are eroding the traditional values of respect for older adults. Also, older adults living in environments with limited social and economic resources, and having no means of economic support create a recipe for elder abuse and neglect.

频率适应性起搏器对老年心动过缓患者生活质量的影响

目的:评估频率适应性起搏对老年心动过缓患者生活质量的影响。方法:选择来自本院安装人工心脏起搏器的96例老年心动过缓患者,并根据起搏器的类型分为频率适应性起搏器组(41例)和非频率适应性起搏器组(55例)。采用心脏超声、运动耐量测定及生活质量综合评定问卷调查,综合评估两组生活质量。结果:频率适应性起搏器组心脏超声及心功能指标不优于非频率适应性起搏器组,但前者的运动耐量及生活质量中的躯体功能、心理功能、社会功能多项指标明显提高。结论:频率适应性起搏器能明显提高老年心动过缓患者的运动耐量和生活质量。     

The character of behavioural symptoms on admission to three Canadian long-term care homes

Objectives: We determined the prevalence and nature of behavioural symptoms at the time of admission to a long-term care home (LTCH) and occurrence of resident-to-resident aggressive behaviour associated with behavioural symptoms within three months following admission.

Method: The Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory and Aggressive Behaviour Scale were completed at the time residents were admitted into the LTCH. A chart review, conducted three months after admission into the LTCH, abstracted documented resident-to-resident aggression. Three LTCHs located in Ontario, Canada participated in the study.

Results: During a 16-month period, 339 individuals admitted to the LTCHs comprised the study sample. A comparison was made between residents with and without dementia. At admission, residents with dementia had a greater number of behavioural symptoms than those without dementia (mean = 3.79, SD = 3.32 versus mean = 2.56, SD = 2.24, respectively; t(200) = 1.91; p = 0.059). Residents with and without dementia exhibited similar behaviours but differed on the prevalence of these behaviours. The most frequently reported behavioural symptoms for residents in both groups were verbal agitation and non-aggressive physical behaviours. The most frequently recorded aggressive behaviour for all residents was ‘resisting care’. In the three months post admission, 79 (23%) residents were involved in a documented incident that involved aggressive behaviour to another resident.

Conclusion: A standardized comprehensive assessment for admission to a LTCH is an important strategy that can be used to identify behavioural symptoms and plan appropriate care management.     

96例老年患者颌下腺肿瘤临床病理分析

目的：了解老年患者颌下腺肿瘤的组织学类型及临床病理特征。方法：对96例老年患者颌下腺肿瘤临床病理资料进行统计学分析。结果：良性上皮性肿瘤71例（73．96％）,恶性上皮性肿瘤25例（26．04％）。多形性腺瘤居良性上皮性肿瘤的首位,腺样囊性癌居恶性上皮性肿瘤的首位。良、恶性上皮性肿瘤的男女性别比为0．92：1和1．5：1：良性肿瘤平均年龄66岁、恶性肿瘤平均年龄69岁。颌下腺肿瘤复发率为4．17％,多形性腺瘤占75％。结论：多形性腺瘤和腺样囊性癌分别是最常见的良、恶性上皮性肿瘤;良性上皮性肿瘤多见于女性,恶性上皮性肿瘤多见于男性;多形性腺瘤易复发。     

舌骨下肌皮瓣在老年口腔癌术后缺损修复中的应用

目的：探讨舌骨下肌皮瓣在老年口腔癌切除术后缺损修复中的应用价值。方法：回顾分析2005年12月—2010年11月间收治的口腔癌患者19例。男11例,女8例;年龄65～89岁,平均72.8岁。舌癌10例,口底癌6例,颊癌2例,下颌牙龈癌1例。均采用舌骨下肌皮瓣修复术后所致软组织缺损。结果：术后切口均一期愈合,19例舌骨下肌皮瓣全部成活,无1例发生全部或部分皮瓣坏死。患者获得满意的外观和功能。经过6个月～5a的随访,无一例肿瘤复发或远处转移。结论：舌骨下肌皮瓣制备较简单,效果可靠,且成活率高,是老年患者口腔癌修复重建的适用方法。