Pain management in German hospices: a cross-sectional study.

Background And Objectives: Pain management is a necessary component of palliative care as most patients suffer from pain during the final phase of life. Due to the complex causation of pain in the last phase of life, it is important to utilize methods other than pharmacotherapeutic options in order to achieve adequate pain control. As little is known about treatment of pain in German hospices, a nationwide survey was conducted.

[Pain management in German specialized outpatient palliative care : A cross-sectional study to present the current pain management of palliative patients in the home environment].

Background: With the help of specialized outpatient palliative care teams (German abbreviation: SAPV), seriously ill and dying patients in Germany can be adequately cared for in their home environment until the end of their lives; however, there are no uniform standards or guidelines for well-executed pain management right now.

Objective: This approach serves as basic research in the field of public health research. This is intended to present which methods (use of different professional groups, use of pain medications, alternative medical treatment etc.

[Physical therapy and occupational therapy in German palliative care: Where do we stand?].

Introduction: Physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) as supportive forms of treatment in palliative care, together with other treatment measures, can create participation for seriously ill patients in the form of a life that is as autonomous as possible until the end of life. However, specially trained staff are needed for the care of palliative patients in order to do justice to the clients' special life situation. In Germany, no corresponding survey on the subject has so far been conducted.