Homeless people have substantial health disadvantages as compared to the general population, and excessive losses in life expectancy. High proportions of psychiatric disorders, substance abuse and intellectual disability have been reported. This makes palliative care for this population extremely complex. A 55-year-old man, addicted to heroin and cocaine, was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer. His terminal phase of life was complicated by many admissions to different care settings and problems with symptom management. Involvement of a palliative care consultation team and transfer to a homeless shelter, to which homeless people with life-threatening diseases could be admitted, gave both the patient and his family relief. This case illustrates that palliative care in homeless patients may be extremely complex due to the specific physical and psychosocial features involved. Such care should be offered proactively and on a multidisciplinary basis.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Living Will and Advance Care Planning in Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Admitted to Specialistic Home Palliative Care.
Am J Hosp Palliat Care
January 2025
Main Regional Center for Pain Relief and Supportive/Palliative Care, La Maddalena Cancer Center, Palermo, Italy.
In Italy a recent law was approved for providing patients' wishes regarding end of life issues, commonly referred internationally to as "living wills", (Dichiarazione anticipata di trattamento, DAT). Regardless of this official document, advance care planning (ACP) is often used in a palliative care setting to share the treatments to start, to continue, to withdraw, thus preventing the stress on an acute decision. The aim of this study was to assess DAT and ACP in patients with amyotropic lateral sclerosis admitted to home palliative care.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFeasibility and Usage of a Virtual Assistant Device in Cognitively Impaired Homebound Older Adults.
J Appl Gerontol
January 2025
Joan and Stanford Alexander Division of Geriatric and Palliative Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, USA.
Social technology in older adults can improve self-rated health; however, there can also be difficulties using it. Our study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and acceptance of virtual assistant device (VAD) use in cognitively impaired homebound older adults. 52 newly referred Meals on Wheels clients aged 60 and older were recruited for a three-phase study: 6 weeks of meals alone (control), followed by 6 weeks of meals+Alexa Echo Show 8 (AES8) basic usage, and lastly 6 weeks of meals+AES8 advanced usage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBurnout and Professional Quality of Life Assessment in Portuguese Healthcare Professionals Working in Oncology and Palliative Care: A Cross-Sectional Study.
Healthcare (Basel)
December 2024
Department of Anesthesiology, Coimbra Hospital and Universitary Center, 3004-561 Coimbra, Portugal.
Introduction/background: Burnout is a three-dimensional syndrome characterized by exhaustion that appears when the professional is constantly exposed to a stressful work environment, as well as depersonalization and lower personal accomplishment. Professional quality of life at work can be defined as the satisfaction degree that a person feels when being or going to their workplace.
Objective: To evaluate burnout and professional quality of life in healthcare professionals working in oncology and palliative care.
Death Anxiety Among Users and Non-Users of Psychedelics.
J Psychoactive Drugs
January 2025
Interdisciplinary Cooperation for Ayahuasca Research and Outreach (ICARO), School of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.
This study is a survey-type, cross-sectional study conducted in Brazil ( = 517), with online data collection taking place from April to June 2022. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the death anxiety in users and non-users of psychedelics. To this end, we also assessed the validity and reliability of the Death Anxiety Scale in Brazil.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExploring Perceptions of Hospice Care in the American Muslim Community: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.
Am J Hosp Palliat Care
January 2025
Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA.
Objectives: To explore American Muslims' perceptions and experiences regarding hospice care within the United States.
Methods: A qualitative descriptive study of 11 participants, including one patient and ten family caregivers. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using a framework approach to identify key themes related to perceptions, ethical concerns, and experiences with hospice care.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!