Background: Many patients show deterioration in functioning and increased care needs in the last year of life. End-of-life care needs and health care utilization might differ between groups of acutely hospitalized older patients. Aim: To investigate differences in geriatric conditions, advance care planning, …

Abstract Background: Currently, health care and medical decision-making at the end of life for older people are often insufficiently patient-centred. In this trial we study the effects of Advance Care Planning (ACP), a formalised process of timely communication about care preferences at the end of life, …

When patients die relatives and healthcare professionals may appreciate the quality of the dying phase differently, but comparisons are rare. In a cross-sectional study (June 2009–July 2012) the experiences of bereaved relatives, physicians, and nurses concerning the quality of dying in a large Dutch …

Background: To improve the quality of end-of-life care, hospitals increasingly appoint palliative care nurse champions.

Purpose of review: To summarize the latest research on the risks and consequences of the burden that may be imposed on informal carers of persons living and dying with advanced heart failure. Recent findings: A systematic search in PubMed over the period 2013–2014 ultimately revealed 24 original articles …

Philips strives to make the world healthier and more sustainable through innovation, in both advanced and emerging markets. There are major differences between these worlds, also in healthcare. This is mainly the result of the limited resources in the emerging countries and the lack of availability of …

Background: general opinion is growing that drug cessation in complex older patients is warranted in certain situations. From a clinical viewpoint, drug cessation seems most warranted in four situations, i.e., falls, delirium, cognitive impairment and end-of-life situations. To date, little information …

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate how mechanical ventilation-dependent adults with neuromuscular disorders experience their occupational and social participation. Methods: Data were collected through two successive focusgroup discussions with six men (aged 23–40 years) living in …