: The Challenges of Advance Care Planning Engagement in Long-Term Care.

This interpretative, qualitative study explored residents' and families' perspectives on advance care planning (ACP) in long-term care (LTC). Perspectives on when, how, and with whom ACP discussions should be introduced and barriers and solutions to improving ACP engagement were examined. Fifty-one residents and families participated in seven focus groups.

"Now I Don't Have to Guess": Using Pamphlets to Encourage Residents and Families/Friends to Engage in Advance Care Planning in Long-Term Care.

This article explores whether access to illness trajectory pamphlets for five conditions with high prevalence in long-term care (LTC) can encourage residents and families/friends to openly engage in advance care planning (ACP) discussions with one another and with health providers. In all, 57 residents and families/friends in LTC completed surveys and 56 participated in seven focus groups that explored whether the pamphlets supported ACP engagement. Survey results suggested that access to pamphlets encouraged residents and families/friends to reflect on future care (48/57, 84%), clarified what questions to ask (40/57, 70%), and increased comfort in talking about end of life (EOL) care (36/57, 63%).

Family care conferences in long-term care: Exploring content and processes in end-of-life communication.

Unlabelled: ABSTRACTObjective:End-of-life (EoL) communication in long-term care (LTC) homes is often inadequate and delayed, leaving residents dying with unknown preferences or goals of care. Poor communication with staff contributes to families feeling unprepared, distressed, and dissatisfied with care. Family care conferences (FCCs) aim to increase structured systematic communication around goals and plans for the end of life.

Broadening End-of-Life Comfort to Improve Palliative Care Practices in Long Term Care.

This study aimed to (1) explore how palliative care in long-term care (LTC) addresses the tensions associated with caring for the living and dying within one care community, and (2) to inform how palliative care practices may be improved to better address the needs of all residents living and dying in LTC as well as those of the families and support staff. This article reports findings from 19 focus groups and 117 participants. Study findings reveal that LTC home staff, resident, and family perspectives of end-of-life comfort applied to those who were actively dying and to their families.