Full Description
Ageing populations mean that palliative and end of life care for older people must assume greater priority. Indeed, there is an urgent need to improve the experiences of older people at the end of life, given that they have been identified as the 'disadvantaged dying'. To date, models of care are underpinned by the ideals of specialist palliative care which were developed to meet the needs of predominantly middle-aged and 'young old' people, and evidence suggests these may not be adequate for the older population group.
This book identifies ways forward for improving the end of life experiences of older people by taking an interdisciplinary and international approach. Providing a synergy between the currently disparate literature of gerontology and palliative care, a wide range of leading international experts contribute to discussions regarding priority areas in relation to ageing and end of life care. Some authors take a theoretical focus, others a very practical approach rooted in their clinical and research experience. The issues covered are diverse, as are the countries in which discussions are contextualised. Those working in both palliative care and gerontology will find the issues and advice discussed in this book hugely topical and of real practical value.
Contents
Introduction ; SECTION 1 - WHAT IS DIFFERENT ABOUT DYING IN OLD AGE? ; 1. International trends in circumstances of death and dying amongst older people ; 2. The care of older people at the end of life: an historical perspective ; 3. Anti-ageing and scientific avoidance of death ; 4. The challenges of health technology for ageing and dying ; 5. The disadvantaged dying: ageing, ageism and palliative care provision for older people in the UK ; 6. What do we know about the congruence between what older people prioritise at the end of life and policy and practices? ; SECTION 2 - WHAT CAN A PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVE BRING TO IMPROVING THE END OF LIFE EXPERIENCE FOR OLDER PEOPLE? ; 7. Health promoting palliative care and dying in old age ; 8. User and community participation at the end of life ; 9. Advance care planning: international perspectives ; 10. New public health approaches to address diversity and end-of-life issues for older people? ; 11. Loss and bereavement in older age: developing community-based bereavement support ; SECTION 3 - INVOLVING CARERS AT THE END OF LIFE ; 12. The changing profile of the family caregivers of older people: a European perspective ; 13. Needs, access and support for older carers ; 14. Family carers, palliative care and the end-of-life ; 15. Costs of family caregiving ; 16. Workforce development: an international perspective on who will provide care ; SECTION 4 - THE SIGNIFICANCE OF PLACE AT THE END OF LIFE ; 17. Place matters: an exploration of the role of physical environment in end of life care ; 18. Improving care for older people living and dying in long term care settings: a whole system approach ; 19. The development and implementation of evidence based palliative care guidelines for residential care: lessons for other countries ; 20. Improving environments for care at the end of life in hospitals ; SECTION 5 - MOVING FORWARD: A DEBATE ABOUT PRIORITIES FOR RESEARCH AND SERVICE DEVELOPMENT ; 21. End of life care for older people with dementia: Priorities for research and service development ; 22. Evidence, evidence and evidence: future priorities for research and service development in improving palliative care for older people ; 23. Priorities for research and service development in primary care to improve end-of-life for older people ; 24. Priorities for specialist palliative care: an Australian perspective ; 25. Inter-disciplinary perspectives ; 26. Workforce capacity issues: a New Zealand perspective
