As we live longer and die slower and differently than our ancestors, we have come to rely more and more on end-of-life caregivers. These workers navigate a changing landscape of old age and death that many of us have little preparation to encounter. "How We Die Now" is an absorbing and sensitive investigation of end-of-life issues from the perspectives of patients, relatives, medical professionals, and support staff. Karla Erickson immersed herself in the daily life of workers and elders in a Midwestern community for over two years to explore important questions around the theme of "how we die now." She moves readers through and beyond the many fears that attend the social condition of old age and reveals the pleasures of living longer and the costs of slower, sometimes senseless ways of dying. For all of us who are grappling with the "elder boom," "How We Die Now" offers new ways of thinking about our longer lives.

The Dying Patient in Psychotherapy is a powerful account of love and death within a psychotherapeutic relationship. The narrative traces one man's journey in psychotherapy and that of the analyst who accompanies him. The full-length description of an analysis demonstrates the developmental path of an erotic transference from its origins in infancy, through fantasies of sex and violence to mature erotic intimacy. The countertransference is considered with exceptional honesty as the analysis intensifies following the diagnosis of a life-threatening illness. A series of dreams rich in symbolic imagery traces the psychological situation as death approaches. A precursor to Schaverien's acclaimed book Boarding School Syndrome, the single case study demonstrates the enduring impact of early boarding. This second edition also includes an updated literature review, and new material regarding training and supervision, making it a valuable resource for training institutions. The Dying Patient in Psychotherapy will be essential reading for psychoanalysts, psychotherapists, counsellors, arts therapists and all professionals working with the dying. The poignant story will also engage the general reader, curious about the process of psychotherapy.

This established and well-regarded Guide describes the management of patients with advanced disease. Its foundation is a clinical decision-making approach in which the patient's information guides the professional's approach to appropriate management. This Sixth Edition has been fully updated, reflecting the latest advances in knowledge and care of cancer and non-cancer patients with advanced disease, including children and people with severe communication difficulties. Sections on symptoms other than pain and emergencies are set out alphabetically, with the Emergencies section now located at the end of the book for ease of reference. The Drug Information section has been extensively updated, and colour and design refinements introduced throughout for greater clarity and emphasis. All references continue to be categorised to make their evidence base clearer. Maintaining the high standard set by previous editions over the past quarter-century, this continues to be the definitive guide to palliative care symptom relief for professionals in a wide variety of caring environments.

The particular needs of people with progressive long-term neurological conditions - including Parkinson's Disease, Motor Neurone Disease (MND), Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Huntington's disease - may make care delivery and planning the last stages of life ethically, practically and clinically challenging. However, only in recent years has serious attention been paid to palliative care approaches for people affected by conditions other than cancer. This unique and comprehensive book builds bridges between palliative and neurological care expertise, recognising that such people may require intensive input from rehabilitation and therapy teams at the same time as complex symptom management and supportive non clinical care. Its comprehensive guidance on managing these complex conditions aims to enable those living with them to enjoy the best quality of life for as long as possible.

Care home workers increasingly work with people nearing the end of their lives, including people with medically complex conditions. However, many do not have a medical background and find that practical advice on how to address these people's very specific needs is scarce. In this book, Christine Reddall draws on almost four decades of nursing experience to create a clear and easy-to-read handbook primarily for workers caring for the dying in care homes, but which will also be of interest to family members caring for relatives with life-threatening conditions.'This is a resource book to provide information on palliative care. It is designed primarily to help carers who work in care homes of all categories. To my knowledge, this is the first book written solely for carers working in care homes that addresses the issues of caring for someone with palliative care needs. However, people with whom I have spoken to about this book, or who have read parts of it, have all said that it would also be a helpful resource to non-professional family carers who care for a family member in their own home. The style of this book is designed to be readable by all levels of carers, and I have endeavoured to keep the language and text as 'non-medical' as possible. I have tried to put myself in the shoes of carers, especially those without medical training, and think of what they want to know when caring for someone with a life threatening illness' - Christine Reddall in her Preface.

The majority of doctors and nurses involved in specialist palliative care reject the legalisation of physician assisted suicide (PAS). This book explores the reasons why the healthcare professionals who have the most experience of caring for dying patients should object to a change in the law. Debate about euthanasia and PAS often arises in response to a well publicised tragic case of unrelieved suffering. Such heart rending stories do not reflect the fact that the majority of people dying have a dignified death. There is a marked disparity between medical intuitions and the philosophers' arguments about euthanasia and PAS. It seems that part of the moral constitution of a doctor is a commitment not to intend the death of a patient and to protect them from harm. The perspective of those who are privileged to care for thousands of dying patients and their families should inform the debate about PAS.This book will enable those who are not working within palliative care to gain an insight into the scope of this speciality and to understand why legalisation of PAS should be resisted to maintain and improve care of dying patients.

This book provides the best information available on the ways priorities are currently set for health care around the world. It describes the methods now used in the six countries leading the process, and contrasts the differences between them. It shows how, except in the UK, frameworks have now been developed to set priorities. Making Choices for Health Care sets forth the key issues that need to be tackled in the years ahead. Descriptions of the leading trends are accompanied by suggestions to resolve outstanding difficulties. Topics include: the need for national research and development funding for new treatments, ways to shift resources permanently towards prevention and chronic care, and how DALYs may replace QALYs. While the concepts and values underlying priority setting have been discussed elsewhere, Making Choices for Health Care highlights real current practice. It is a vital tool for policy-makers, health care managers, clinicians, patient organizations, academics, and executives in pharmaceutical and medical supply industries.

Behavioral Intervention Research in Hospice and Palliative Care: Building an Evidence Base sets forth research considerations and guidelines to build evidence-based interventions to improve end-of-life care. It is an in-depth introduction to implementation research and showcases how a clinical need is identified to inform an intervention. The book extensively examines the various phases of intervention research, including design, implementation, evaluation, dissemination and translation. The book focuses on methodological, ethical and practical issues. The science behind the quality of hospice and palliative care lags behind that of traditional medical practice, despite the continuous growth of palliative care interdisciplinary teams. Researching, developing and testing strategies is essential to advancing the effectiveness and value of this care.

'This book effectively bridges the gap between dietitian doctor nurse and pharmacist and there is much in it to educate even the more experienced practitioner. I recommend the book highly and feel confident that well-thumbed and battered copies will soon be found on wards everywhere.' Alastair Forbes Chairman of the British Association of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition 'This book will help non-specialists to make appropriate choices regarding nutritional care for their patients. It should prove to be a valuable resource for all professions in many areas of practice.' Lynne Colagiovanni Chairman National Nurses Nutrition Group 'This is a much needed comprehensive clinical nutrition guide for busy healthcare professionals. It covers all aspects of nutritional care in a logical and systematic way and will aid clinicians in making reasoned judgements on the nutritional care that their patients require.' Vera Todorovic The Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition Group of the British Dietetic Association 'This handbook will be an invaluable resource as it provides a concise practical guide covering all aspects of clinical nutrition both for adults and paediatric patients.' Rebecca White and Vicky Bradnam British Pharmaceutical Nutrition Group

This book gives readers an understanding of the theoretical foundations of social support communication along with practical tools to ethically and justly connect with and support others in daily life. Incorporating research, real-world examples, and autoethnographic methods, this book examines how social hierarchies, personal power dynamics, and relational and social histories can be better understood to create stronger social support messages across all our relationships, including family, friend, workplace, and health provider-patient relationships. The book translates theories of social support communication into practical application, examining how support messaging goes wrong and how to do it right. Intended as a supplementary text in interpersonal communication, psychology, and social work undergraduate courses, the book is also ideal for professionals who engage in caretaking and support tasks and wish to enhance their knowledge of social support theory.

The second edition of this highly successful text has been greatly expanded and updated, and is now available in two companion volumes. Stepping into Palliative Care 2 focuses on symptom management, emergencies, bereavement and spirituality. This practical guide with numerous examples, illustrations and thorough references, includes boxes, tables, figures, self-assessment questions, points for reflection and case studies to aid comprehension. The clear layout and straightforward approach is ideal for all those working in community care, including nurses, nursing students, doctors and social workers, and those already involved to some extent in palliative care.

Make your patients'final days as comfortable as possible There are few situations more challenging and emotionally taxing to a medical professional than the care of the terminally ill. Much has been learned in recent years about symptom control that can profoundly improve the quality of life in a patient's final days.Evidence Based Symptom Control in Palliative Care: Systemic Reviews and Validated Clinical Practice Guidelines for 15 Common Problems in Patients with Life Limiting Disease provides you with symptom control approaches that will help meet patients'last wishes, improve the quality of life for patients and their families, and lessen their physical and emotional pain. Palliative care--often based on anecdotal experience--has until now been inconsistent and much of the time less than optimally effective. Evidence Based Symptom Control in Palliative Care is the result of comprehensive literature reviews and clinical validation resulting in recommendations and suggestions for therapies that will improve the lives of patients who are in pain and discomfort. Evidence Based Symptom Control in Palliative Care presents seven sections--Algorithm, Literature Review, Evidence Tables, Drug Therapy Tables, Evaluation Instruments, Unanswered Questions, and References--on each of these problems: anorexia and cachexia anxiety bleeding problems constipation delirium depression diarrhea dyspnea (shortness of breath) fatigue and weakness mouth problems nausea and vomiting nutrition and hydrationEvidence Based Symptom Control in Palliative Care is a vital guide for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, social workers, and other clinicians caring for patients with advanced irreversible diseases. This volume supplies the data you'll require to offer patients relevant care and meet their needs.

Series Editors: Moira Stewart, Judith Belle Brown and Thomas R Freeman As the population in western cultures ages, more people suffer chronic, ultimately life-limiting diseases and medical professionals need to be equipped to cope with the ever growing pressure of palliative care. This book gives guidance on how to approach patients with life limiting illness. While the problems most people present to the doctor appear relatively straightforward, a whole person approach to understanding the complex interaction between the person, their illness and their environment should lead to a more complete consideration of the illness and better health outcomes. For issues of palliative care, such an approach is essential to identify and meet the many needs of desperately ill people. Palliative Care offers a fresh look at the management of patients. With international, evidence-based contributions, the book suggests practical and challenging ways to care for the dying. It is ideal for all healthcare professionals working in palliative care, General Practitioners and medicine and healthcare students.

Use of the arts in palliative care settings is a powerful and effective way of addressing the practical, psychological, social and spiritual issues faced by service users in end-of-life care. The Creative Arts in Palliative Care uncovers the possibilities for using the creative arts and provides guidance on how to implement arts projects successfully. Part 1 focuses on designing objectives for the creative arts in palliative care - such as self-fulfilment, social participation, diversion from pain and other common symptoms - and managing creative arts services. Part 2 demonstrates the theory and principles in practice, with detailed case studies: each chapter draws on a real-life project, the approaches it employed and the outcomes achieved. This book will be essential reading for healthcare professionals, arts practitioners and all those involved in providing palliative care services.

Sportive care can be thought of as an extension of palliative care so that the person with dementia receives good quality, holistic care that makes no distinctions between the dichotomies of care and cure from the time of diagnosis until, and beyond, death. It recognizes the need for an inter-disciplinary approach for continuity of care. Supportive care in dementia must, therefore, be broad in its scope and application.
Supportive Care of the Person with Dementia provides just such a broad and full perspective, drawing upon the experience and expertise of a wide range of internationally-based professionals to outline a model of supportive care that will provide good quality and holistic care for people with dementia. Making use of real-life reports from both patients and carers to help readers fully understand the reality of dementia, the book examines the key principles that guide the practice of supportive care. It looks at how supportive care can be used, and specific benefits a care model of this type can bring to the complex problems that are frequently encountered when treating this condition.
It is an ideal resource for all clinicians who are part of an interdisciplinary team caring for sufferers with this debilitating illness.

This new evidence-based model, derived from a study of parents and exemplary clinicians, offers a clear presentation of the complex process of interaction between healthcare providers and parents of seriously ill children. A unique aspect of the book is that it is based on the study of excellence rather than focusing on what did not go well. This model gives clinicians practical strategies for optimizing interactions with parents of seriously ill children. Moving beyond the prevalent idea of communication as a step-by-step procedure, this book demonstrates the complex and holistic nature of interaction in healthcare.

This book explores how, in encounters with the terminally ill and dying, there is something existentially at stake for the professional, not only the patient. It connects the professional and personal lives of the interviewees, a range of professionals working in palliative and intensive care. Kjetil Moen discusses how the inner and outer worlds, the psychic and the social, and the existential and the cultural, all inform professionals' experience of work at the boundary between life and death. Death at Work is written for an academic audience, but is accessible to and offers insights for practitioners in a variety of fields.

Written by leading American practitioners, the Oxford American Handbooks of Medicine each offer a pocket-sized overview of an entire specialty, featuring instant access to guidance on the conditions that are most likely to be encountered. Precise and prescriptive, the handbooks offer up-to-date advice on examination, investigations, common procedures, and in-patient care. These books will be invaluable resources for residents and students, as well as a useful reference for practitioners.
The essential reference for medical students, residents, and clinical oncologists seeking a current, portable resource on the delivery of sophisticated cancer care. Chapters focus on the immediate information needs in clinical decision making including treatment choices. Algorithms, best practice guidelines, highlight tables, and targeted lists of landmark references enhance concise text. The Handbook covers solid tumors and hematologic malignancies plus cancer biology, genetics, prevention and screening, cancer staging, complications, and supportive care.

Why choose the Oxford American Handbook of Oncology?
The design....
The Handbook uses a unique flexicover design that's durable and practical. Compact, light, and fits in your pocket Also has quick reference tabs, four-color presentation, and bookmark ribbons to help provide fast answers.
The interior layout....
The Handbook is a quick reference in a small, innovative package. With one to two topics per page, it provides easy access and the emergency sections are in red to stand out. Icons throughout aid quick reference.
The information....
The Handbook succinctly covers all the essential topics in a one or two-page spread format with colored headings that break up the text and provide a logical structure for readers of all levels. Common clinical questions are answered clearly and extensively.
The history....
Oxford University Press is known around the world for excellence, tradition, and innovation. These handbooks are among the best selling in the world.
The price....
You get an extremely useful tool at a great value

Palliative medicine is the medical care provided for people who have a life limiting illness or condition. It encompasses both the physical symptoms a person may experience but also the psychosocial, emotional, and ethical issues that may arise. Now in its fourth edition, Palliative Medicine: A Case-Based Manual walks clinicians through the management of the most common situations found in palliative medicine, from diagnosis and managing symptoms through to grief and bereavement. Using real patient case scenarios and an easy-to-read question and answer format, it gives students and medical professionals an accessible, evidence-based entryway to gain the skills and knowledge needed to provide high quality palliative and end of life care to patients and their families. This new edition has been fully updated to cover the latest guidance, including new chapters dedicated to medical cannabis, opioids, grief and bereavement, and wider issues including palliative care in the community, structurally vulnerable populations, and public health. Written by over 50 experienced palliative care clinicians and educators, this book will be a welcome guide for palliative care workers, medical and nursing students, and medical professionals of any specialty where palliative needs might arise.

This volume speaks to the issue of occupational therapy practice with the patient in pain. The hows and whys of treatment are explored in a broad range of chapters written by and for professionals in the field of occupational therapy.

Collaborative Practice in Palliative Care explores how different professions work collaboratively across professional, institutional, social, and cultural boundaries to enhance palliative care. Analysing palliative care as an interaction between different professionals, clients, and carers, and the social context or community within which the interaction takes place, it is grounded in up-to-date evidence, includes global aspects of palliative care and cultural diversity as themes running throughout the book, and is replete with examples of good and innovative practice. Drawing on experiences from within traditional specialist palliative care settings like hospices and community palliative care services, as well as more generalist contexts of the general hospital and primary care, this practical text highlights the social or public health model of palliative care. Designed to support active learning, it includes features such as case studies, summaries, and pointers to other learning resources. This text is an important reference for all professionals engaged in palliative care, particularly those studying for post-qualification programmes in the area.

This book provides healthcare professionals with a practice theory for the care and management of patients who have been diagnosed with cancer. It explores what patients experience and how healthcare professionals can assist them in dealing with their uncertainty and fear as well as planning for the future. Unique to the book is its explication of the emerging theory, 'The Omnipresence of Cancer', which is set in the context of a discussion of earlier theories also concerned with cancer care. Chapters demonstrate how 'The Omnipresence of Cancer' has been developed, validated through research and being further tested in relation to cancer care. In particular, a chapter on philosophical reflections using theory to produce knowledge for practice is included. Each chapter provides essential background, a synthesis of the current state of knowledge, and practice examples associated with cancer care. The combination of theoretical reflection and practice examples is designed to promote comprehension and guidance on implementation of the theory, as well as recommendations for practice. This book will be of significant interest to healthcare students and professionals working in the field of cancer care and oncology, particularly healthcare professionals working in advanced practice roles and nurse educators. It is also anticipated that professionals working in pastoral care, occupational therapy, social work and radiography will be interested in this book.

Living with Uncertainty gives a broad perspective on the complexities and challenges of the practice of end-of-life care, as well as the perceived benefits and limitations of medical intervention. Drawn from research and clinical and pastoral experience, the book examines the feelings associated with the end of life, highlighting the demands that people are faced with and their consequences. It moves into the difficult area of people who feel defeated by their illness and can or want to live no longer, as well as the family, caregivers and professionals who surround them. These perspectives have been built upon around a hundred narratives of lived experience, combined with the wider clinical and practical range of voices. A topical post-script Lessons from Covid-19 captures the choices and challenges on a personal, professional and systemic level which the pandemic acutely revealed with a multiplicity of examples. This will be essential reading for students and professionals in palliative and end-of-life care. Families and friends will also benefit from this book as they try to come to terms with the delicate but universal issues of death and dying.

Palliative care has become increasingly important across the spectrum of healthcare, and with it, the need for education and training of a broad range of medical practitioners not previously associated with this field of care. As part of the Integrating Palliative Care series, this volume on palliative care in nephrology guides readers through the core palliative knowledge and skills needed to deliver high value, high quality care for seriously ill patients with chronic and end-stage kidney disease. Chapters are written by a team of international leaders in kidney palliative care and are organized into sections exploring unmet supportive care needs, palliative care capacity, patient-centered care, enhanced support at the end of life, and more. Chapter topics are based on the Coalition for Supportive Care of Kidney Patients Pathways Project change package of 14 evidence-based best practices to improve the delivery of palliative care to patients with kidney disease. An overview of the future of palliative care nephrology with attention to needed policy changes rounds out the text. Palliative Care in Nephrology is an ideal resource for nephrologists, nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, social workers, primary care clinicians, and other practitioners who wish to learn more about integrating individualized, patient-centered palliative care into treatment of their patients with kidney disease.

This is the first book to explore how religion, belief and spirituality are negotiated in hospice care. Specifically, it considers the significant place that spiritual care has in hospice care and claims that the changing role of religion and belief in society highlights the need to re-examine how such identities are integrated in professional practice. Using religious literacy as a framework, the author explores how healthcare professionals in hospice care respond to religion, belief and spiritual identities of service users. Part 1 provides a comprehensive account of the content and history of the place of religion, belief and spirituality in hospice care. Part 2 examines how these topics are negotiated in hospice care by looking at three key areas: environment, professional practice and organisation. Part 3 proposes a religious literacy model applicable to hospice care and explores implications for practice and policy. Lastly, the author identifies future trends in research, policy and practice. Drawing on a range of theories and concepts and proposing a working model that can impact the training of future and current professionals, Religious Literary in Hospice Care should be considered essential reading for students, researchers and practitioners.