Palliative care is grossly underutilized in nursing home settings, but providers can develop new tools that could bring those services to more residents, a recent study has found. A range of barriers contribute to the under-utilization of palliative care in nursing home settings, including poorly defined referral criteria and a general lack of awareness and […]
Indiana University
Hospices and other health care providers are increasingly recognizing the value proposition of end-of-life doulas. Organizations are taking varied routes to leverage doula’s skills to improve quality. End-of-life doulas support patients and their families in a number of broad and diverse ways, according to Erin Collins, program director of The Peaceful Presence Project. Collins is […]
The spiritual beliefs of not only patients but their surrogate decision makers play a significant role in whether a terminally ill individual will enter hospice. Specifically, a surrogate’s belief in the existence of miracles has a significant influence on end-of-life care decisions. Surrogates who believe in miracles are less likely to elect hospice on behalf […]