Category: Case Studies
Articles about two or more studies to explore a given topic.
Compassionate Care for Terminally Ill Patients in Denial: Effective Strategies for Support
Caring for terminally ill patients in denial can be challenging. This article explores why understanding denial is crucial and offers strategies for compassionate care. Techniques like Naomi Feil's validation therapy and motivational interviewing are highlighted to support patients respectfully, maintaining their dignity and emotional well-being.
Hospice Care: Does a Terminal Prognosis Always Mean Death?
Entering hospice care often means a terminal prognosis, but does it always mean death? This article delves into the purpose of hospice, the criteria for entering hospice care, and whether recovery is possible. Understand the nuances and what families and patients expect during this critical time.
Harmonizing Hope: The Transformative Power of Music for Dementia Patients
Discover the transformative impact of music on dementia patients in this comprehensive guide. From improving cognitive function to enhancing mood and social engagement, music therapy offers a non-pharmacological approach to dementia care. Explore the science, benefits, and practical applications of integrating music into treatment plans for dementia patients.
Compassionate Endings: Implementing Trauma-Informed Care in Hospice
Discover the critical role of trauma-informed care in hospice. This guide provides nurses and staff with the knowledge to support traumatized patients while educating caregivers and family members on providing empathetic end-of-life care.
Decoding Acuity: A Guide for Hospice Nurses and Families
Discover how acuity impacts hospice care. From assessment tools to real-world examples, this guide helps nurses and families navigate acuity levels.
Compassionate Approaches to Dementia: Managing Mood Without Medication
Discover compassionate care techniques that address depression and anxiety in dementia without relying on antidepressants. This article delves into holistic approaches that enhance quality of life and promote mental well-being in dementia care.
Dementia: A Guide to Understanding MRI Findings
Dive into the world of dementia diagnosis through MRI findings. This guide explores how different MRI indicators can hint at the type of dementia a patient might have. With real-life case studies, understand the importance of early detection and the future of MRI in dementia research.
Boosting Hospice CAHPS Scores: The Power of Caregiver Training
This article delves into the transformative role of caregiver training in boosting Hospice CAHPS scores. Drawing on recent studies and expert insights, we explore practical strategies for enhancing caregiver education, ultimately leading to improved patient care and higher satisfaction ratings.
Why Anticoagulants Should Be Reviewed Regularly for Deprescribing for Those Who Are Terminally Ill
Anticoagulants can prevent blood clots but also cause bleeding risks for terminally ill patients. This article explains why these medications should be regularly reviewed for deprescribing, outlining factors like prognosis, preferences, and palliative care options to consider when making informed, compassionate choices aligned with the patient's goals.
Revolutionary Skin Test: A New Frontier in Parkinson’s Disease Detection
A groundbreaking skin test has emerged as a potential game-changer in the early detection of Parkinson's disease and related disorders. This article explores the science behind the test, its accuracy, and the ethical implications of early diagnosis. Discover how this innovative approach could revolutionize Parkinson's treatment and patient care.
Enhancing Hospice and Palliative Care with the GUIDE Model: A Comprehensive Approach
Discover how the GUIDE model can be applied in hospice and palliative care, offering improved support for dementia patients and their caregivers. Learn best practices and implementation strategies.
Hospice – Patient and Family Autonomy
Hospice care is often misunderstood. A common myth suggests that once a patient with a terminal illness enters hospice, they lose control over their care. This article aims to dispel this misconception and highlight the central role of patient and family autonomy in hospice settings. It's important to note that this discussion primarily applies to patients receiving care at home or in non-facility settings, as facility-based patients may have less control over their care decisions.
Understanding KPS and PPS: Vital Assessment Tools in Palliative and Hospice Care
Explore the crucial roles of Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) and Palliative Performance Score (PPS) in palliative and hospice care. This comprehensive guide helps nurses and caregivers understand these assessment tools, their applications, and critical differences, empowering them to provide more effective, patient-centered care.
Late-Onset Medication Side Effects: The Importance of Continuous Vigilance and Medication Reconciliation
Explore why side effects from medications can emerge after initial use and understand the critical need for vigilant monitoring and regular medication reconciliation to ensure patient safety and efficacy.
Empowering Caregivers: Effective Communication with Healthcare Providers
Discover how to use the CUS tool and Caring Feedback Model to advocate for your loved one's health. This guide empowers caregivers to communicate effectively with healthcare providers, ensuring their concerns are heard and addressed.
Comprehensive Approaches to Managing Hallucinations in Dementia Patients
Explore comprehensive approaches to managing hallucinations in loved ones with dementia. This article covers pharmacological methods, focusing on Seroquel and non-drug strategies such as Naomi Feil's validation therapy. Learn how to validate feelings, de-escalate fear, and improve the quality of life for those experiencing cognitive impairment.
Understanding Palliative Sedation: A Comprehensive Guide for Hospice Care
This guide covers the essentials of palliative sedation for hospice patients, including ethical dilemmas, timing, recommended medications, and monitoring effectiveness, ensuring comfort during the end-of-life journey.
Navigating the Journey: A Guide to CHF and COPD Exacerbation Prognosis
Dive into our in-depth analysis of CHF and COPD exacerbations. These critical events shape patient outcomes through expert insights and compelling case studies. Discover strategies for managing expectations and improving quality of life in the face of chronic illness.
Music Therapy: A Melody of Hope for the Terminally Ill
If you or someone you love is facing a terminal illness, you may feel overwhelmed by the physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges that come with it. You may wonder how to cope with the pain, the fear, the grief, and the loss of control. You may also want to find ways to make the most of the time you have left and to leave a lasting legacy for your loved ones.
Music therapy is a form of therapy that can help you and your family deal with these issues. It involves using music and musical activities to improve the health and well-being of people of all ages and backgrounds. Music therapy can help you express your feelings, communicate with others, relax your body and mind, cope with pain and stress, enhance your spiritual connection, and create a meaningful life story.
Doctors Ignoring Family Concerns in Dementia Care
Welcome to our discussion on a topic close to many hearts: the care of our loved ones with dementia. When a family member is diagnosed with dementia, it feels like a part of them slowly fades away. But as they lose parts of themselves, your role in their life becomes even more crucial. This article isn’t just words on a page; it’s a beacon of hope and understanding, shining a light on why your voice, as a family member, is vital in the care of your loved one.
Unveiling the Truth: The Accuracy of FDG PET Scans in Dementia Diagnosis
One of the tools doctors uses is called an FDG PET scan. It’s a special kind of test that takes pictures of the brain. FDG is a type of sugar, and PET stands for Positron Emission Tomography. When someone has a PET scan, they get a tiny amount of this sugar injected into their body. Because the brain uses sugar as fuel, the scan can show which parts are working well and which parts aren’t.
This is super helpful because in people with dementia, some parts of the brain don’t use sugar the same way healthy parts do. So, the scan can show doctors these changes and help them understand what’s going on.
How to Use the Beers Criteria for Medication Reconciliation and Deprescribing in Hospice Care: 10 Case Studies
In this article, we will discuss how to use the Beers Criteria to identify PIMs and potential prescribing omissions (PPOs) in hospice patients. PPOs are medications that are indicated but not prescribed for a specific patient or population, or that are prescribed at a suboptimal dose or duration. We will also present 10 case studies to illustrate the medication reconciliation and deprescribing process and the outcomes of medication changes in different scenarios.
How to Use the START/STOPP Criteria for Medication Reconciliation and Deprescribing in Hospice Care: 10 Case Studies
If you are caring for a terminally ill patient in hospice, you know how challenging it can be to manage their medications. You want to make sure they are getting the best possible care, but you also want to avoid unnecessary or harmful drugs that may worsen their quality of life or cause adverse effects.
That’s where medication reconciliation and deprescribing come in. Medication reconciliation is the process of reviewing and updating the patient’s medication list to ensure accuracy and completeness. Deprescribing is the process of reducing or stopping medications that are no longer needed, effective, or appropriate for the patient’s condition and goals of care.
Why Saying Goodbye to Your Dying Loved One Matters
Losing a loved one to a terminal illness is an incredibly challenging experience. It's a journey filled with emotions, uncertainties, and the need for profound empathy. One crucial aspect of this journey is saying goodbye to your dying loved one and permitting them to pass peacefully. In this article, we'll explore the significance of these acts, which bring comfort to the terminally ill and aid in the grieving process for those left behind. We'll also share three case studies to illustrate the importance of these actions.