"This is the worst that has happened to me in 86 years": A qualitative study of the experiences of grandparents losing a grandchild due to a neurological or oncological disease.

Purpose: Pediatric palliative care focuses mainly on the children suffering from a life-limiting disease, but always includes parents and siblings. However, grandparents are also often highly involved in caring for the child and require additional attention. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of grandparents during the end-of-life care and after the death of a grandchild.

Severe symptoms and very low quality-of-life among outpatients newly diagnosed with advanced cancer: data from a multicenter cohort study.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify symptoms of severe intensity or very low scores for quality of life (QoL) domains in newly diagnosed outpatients with advanced cancer.

Methods: This multicenter cohort study from a state-wide palliative care network included adult outpatients with advanced cancer diagnosed within the preceding 8 weeks from four comprehensive cancer centers (DRKS00006162, registered on 19 May 2014). We used the Palliative Outcome Scale (POS), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL Questionnaire-C30.

Anxiety as a risk factor of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia.

Background: The aetiology of dementia is not yet fully understood. Stress can have a damaging effect on brain health. The prognostic effect of anxiety is still unclear regarding Alzheimer's disease as well as vascular dementia.

Mindfulness and compassion-oriented practices at work reduce distress and enhance self-care of palliative care teams: a mixed-method evaluation of an "on the job" program.

Background: Maintaining a sense of self-care while providing patient centered care, can be difficult for practitioners in palliative medicine. We aimed to pilot an "on the job" mindfulness and compassion-oriented meditation training for interdisciplinary teams designed to reduce distress, foster resilience and strengthen a prosocial motivation in the clinical encounter.

Methods: Our objective was to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of this newly developed training.