Palliative medicine was first recognised as a specialist field in 1987. One hundred years earlier, London based doctor William Munk published a treatise on 'easeful death' that mapped out the principles of practical, spiritual, and medical support at the end of life. In the intervening years a major process of development took place which led to innovative services, new approaches to the study and relief of pain and other symptoms, a growing interest in 'holistic' care, and a desire to gain more recognition for care at the end of life. This book traces the history of palliative medicine, from its nineteenth-century origins, to its modern practice around the world. It takes in the changing meaning of 'euthanasia', assesses the role of religious and philanthropic organisations in the creation of homes for the dying, and explores how twentieth-century doctors created a special focus on end of life care. To Comfort Always traces the rise of clinical studies, academic programmes and international collaborations to promote palliative care. It examines the continuing need to support development with evidence, and assesses the dilemmas of unequal access to services and pain relieving drugs, as well as the periodic accusations of creeping medicalization within the field. This is the first history of its kind, and the breadth of information it encompasses makes it an essential resource for those interested in the long-term achievements of palliative medicine as well as the challenges that remain.

The first of its kind, this book describes pediatric palliative care in more than 23 countries. Each region in the world is covered and countries included are both resource poor and rich. Authors are multidisciplinary and regarded nationally and internationally in their field. Clinicians, advocates, policymakers, funders, and researchers will learn how programs were developed and implemented in each country. Authors describe children for whom pediatric palliative care is needed and provided for in their country. When applicable, a brief history of pediatric palliative care is included noting especially policy changes and legislative acts. For example, the chapter on Poland describes how pediatric palliative care grew from the Catholic church into a national movement spearheaded by several health care workers. The Pole national spirit that brought them through a change in political regime has also been a driving force in the pediatric palliative care movement. The chapter on South Africa, for example, illustrates how a resource poor country has been able to leverage philanthropic and government funding to make its dream of having an infrastructure of pediatric palliative care a reality. These are just a few examples of the inspiring stories that are included in this book. Readers from countries who wish to start a pediatric palliative care program, or advance an existing program, will learn valuable lessons from others who have faced similar barriers. Introduction and concluding chapters highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the modern pediatric palliative care movement.

Children with life-threatening and terminal illnesses- and their families- require a unique kind of care to meet a wide variety of needs. This book, now in its third edition, provides an authoritative source for the many people involved in the care of dying children. Written by leading authorities in pediatrics and palliative medicine, this comprehensive resource emphasizes practical topics and covers the entire range of issues related to the hospice care from psychological stress to pain and symptom management. The text has been fully updated and includes an international perspective chapter and a chapter written cy Children's Hospice International with detailed all-inclusive care plans.

A landmark publication in the field, this state of the art reference work includes contributions from leading thinkers across a range of disciplines on topics including ADHD, autism, depression, eating disorders and trauma. It is an essential resource for all those involved or interested in child mental health.

A focus throughout on lifespan perspectives and a consideration of palliative care across all ages. Consideration of different cultural perspectives, beliefs, thoughts and practices outside Western societies and dominant paradigms. Integrates primary research throughout, including a focus on contemporary research from social media. Complements mainstream psychological approaches to life-limiting illness by exploring death, dying and palliative care with a critical health psychology lens.

This book brings together the knowledge, skills and attitudes of specialists in both Respiratory Medicine and Palliative Medicine to focus on the palliative care of patients with respiratory diseases. It deals not only with end of life care but also with symptom control and supportive care to improve the quality of life of those living their lives with advanced progressive lung disease.

The Collaborative for Palliative Care ("Collaborative") is a grassroots consortium of public and private organizations that came together in 2005 for the purposes of studying the increasing need for palliative care and the methods for such care. It has grown from a small fledgling group to a membership of over 50 community-based organizations and volunteers dedicated to improving care of the seriously ill through education, research and advocacy. The Collaborative bridges policy, research and practice in its initiatives and vision for the future. Partners in Palliative Care examines specific areas of concern that the Collaborative has addressed in its education programs and advocacy, as well as the collaborative processes that have been so successful in building community assets. Areas of concentration have been diverse and include advance care planning, relational communication paradigms, community capacity building, the role of culture and spirituality in palliative care, the meaning of pain and suffering for seriously ill individuals, and the ethics of health care costs in palliative and end-of-life systems of care. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care.

When the first edition of this book published in 1994, the psychoimmunology of cancer was still emerging as a topic for serious scientific study. Now, less than ten years later, there is a huge quantity of academic literature about the relationships between psychological variables, the immune system and cancer growth, accompanied by a lively popular interest.

In this new edition leading specialists have provided broad critical reviews of the different aspects. Part I, which presents the biological background, will be of particular interest to those with technical knowledge of the relevant laboratory based disciplines. It covers mechanisms mediating the effects of psychological status in the immune system, and anti-cancer mechanisms involving the immune system. Part II is clinically orientated, and accessible to a wide audience. Whether psychotherapeutic interventions can help patients live longer, as well as coping better, is obviously the key question and several contributors consider the clinical evidence for this. A new, speculative chapter on the spiritual context of immunity and cancer has also been added.

The psychoimmunology of cancer involves many complex issues, understanding of which remains far from complete. However, the contributors, besides reviewing the current state of knowledge and the implications for cancer patients, offer predictions for the future and ideas about further research.

From reviews of the first edition:

'The chief quality of this book is its presentation of an excellent but critical overview of the entire range of what is today called 'psychoimmunology', and it is to be recommended to all who are interested in the subject.' Annals of Oncology

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER 'Impossible to read with dry eyes or an unaltered mindset' Sunday Times 'Illuminating and beautiful' Cathy Rentzenbrink What if everything you thought you knew about death was wrong? How should we prepare for the facts of dying and saying our goodbyes? And what if understanding death improved your life? By turns touching and tragic, funny and wise, With the End in Mind brings together Kathryn Mannix ' s lifetime of medical experience to tell powerful stories of life and death.

A practicing music thanatologist provides an insider's history of this remarkable profession, which combines music, medicine, and spirituality to help the terminally ill and their families face the end of life. Reflecting on the author's experiences as a music-thanatologist, Jennifer Hollis's Music at the End of Life: Easing the Pain and Preparing the Passage is an enlightening and emotional examination of the ways in which the experience of dying can be transformed with music. Music at the End of Life highlights the unique role music has come to play in hospice and palliative medicine. Jennifer Hollis interweaves narrative memoir, the personal experiences of fellow music-thanatologists and caregivers, and extensive research to demonstrate the transformative power of music when curing is no longer an option. Through story after unforgettable story, Hollis offers a new vision of end-of-life care, in which music creates a beautiful space for the work of letting go, grieving, and saying goodbye.

End-of-life issues in cardiology are becoming increasingly important in the management of patients in the cardiac unit, but there is frequently a lack of understanding regarding their impact on cardiology practice. The cardiac unit is increasingly becoming the location whereby a number of key clinical decisions relating to end-of-life care are being made, such as the decision to remove medications, the appropriate removal of cardiac devices, the management of do not resuscitate orders and the requirement for other cardiac procedures in light of the management of the terminally ill cardiac patients. Those working in palliative care need input from the cardiovascular team as the cardiologist is frequently still managing these patients until they are moved to the hospice. That this move into a hospice is often delayed until the very last moment, there is considerable onus on the cardiovascular management of these patients to be much broader in scope and take account of some of the more palliative medical decisions needed in this group of patients. This concise reference will detail the practical issues open to cardiovascular physicians and those medical professionals who manage patients reaching the end of their life from a cardiology perspective. It will detail the full management options open to them to ensure that their practice is in line with the requirements of the patient nearing the end of their life whether the cause be cardiovascular in origin or who need appropriate management of secondary cardiovascular symptoms. It will also include the various ethical, cultural and geographical issues that need to be considered when managing these patients.

Nutrition, appetite, and involuntary weight loss are issues that affect a large number of cancer patients and cancer survivors. Aspects such as symptom management, behavioural modification, exercise and medication are all important aspects of cancer care, but nutritional issues at the end of life can be accompanied by contentious ethical factors as well as religious and cultural influences that need to be addressed by health professionals. This book enables physicians, nurses and also dieticians to better discuss these complex issues with patients and their families.
This comprehensive reference book provides both background information and practical, clinical advice for managing the cancer patient at all stages of their disease trajectory. It includes information that relates to patients who are continuing to receive disease-specific therapy, the cancer survivor, as well as patients with advanced or recurrent cancer receiving palliative care.
Basic principles such as epidemiology and physiology set the scene, leading into the cachexia/anorexia syndrome, treatment options, nutritional counselling, enteral and parenteral nutrition, complementary/alternative therapies, exercise, clinical outcomes measures in each of the clinical groups, and focus on special populations and their specific needs. Multidimensional, interdisciplinary clinical evaluation and treatment is emphasised, and ethical, religious, and cultural factors are also addressed.
Multidisciplinary in nature, this book draws on the experience of the editors' work across the fields of oncology, palliative care, surgery, primary care, nursing, dietetics and nutritional science. It will prove invaluable to all general practitioners, internists, medical oncologists and surgeons, nurses, palliative care specialists and related professionals involved in the care of the cancer patient.

This book on end of life examines how to include people with intellectual and developmental disability in the inevitability of dying and death. Comprising 17 chapters, it addresses challenging and under-researched topics including suicide, do-not-resuscitate, advance care planning, death doulas and accessible funerals. Topics reflect everyday community, palliative care, hospice and disability services. The book proposes that the rights of people with disabilities should be supported up to and after their death. Going beyond problem identification, the chapters offer positive, evidence-supported responses that translate research to practice, together with practice examples and resources grounded in lived experience. The book is applicable to readers from the disability field, and mainstream health professionals who assist people with disability in emergency care, palliative care or end-of-life planning

Few publications have changed the landscape of contemporary psychology more than Richard Lazarus and Susan Folkman's landmark work, Stress, Appraisal, and Coping. Its publication in 1984 set the course for years of research on the dynamic processes of psychological stress and coping in human beings. Now more than a quarter-century later, The Oxford Handbook of Stress, Health, and Coping pushes the field even further with a comprehensive overview of the newest and best work in this dynamic subject. Edited by Susan Folkman and comprising chapters by the field's leading scientists, this new volume details the expanded knowledge base that has emerged from extensive research on stress and coping processes over the last several decades. Featuring 22 topic-based chapters - including two by Folkman - this volume offers unprecedented coverage of the two primary research topics related to stress and coping: mitigating stress-related harms and sustaining well-being in the face of stress. Both topics are addressed within their relevant contexts, including chronic illness, calamity, bereavement, and social hardship. The Oxford Handbook of Stress, Health, and Coping is an essential reference work for students, practitioners, and researchers across the fields of health psychology, medicine, and palliative care.

Leading palliative care experts illustrate how you can improve both communication with cancer patients and their quality of life. For more than twenty years, this guide has been the go-to resource for busy practicing oncology and palliative care clinicians. This fourth edition, now titled Comprehensive Guide to Supportive and Palliative Care for Patients with Cancer, provides physicians, advanced practice clinicians, and patients and their families with detailed information and advice for alleviating the suffering of cancer patients and their loved ones. Drawing on the work of experts who have developed revolutionary approaches to symptom management and palliative care, as well as on lessons learned during her decades as a teacher and clinician, Dr. Janet L. Abrahm and her coauthors illustrate how to help patients and families understand their prognosis, communicate their care preferences, and minimize their distress. This edition reflects important updates in the field while addressing the informational needs of a broader market of health care providers, including social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists, bereavement counselors, and chaplains. This new edition features three new chapters-"Spiritual Care in Palliative Care," "Psychological Considerations," and "Bereavement"-as well as specific guidelines about * advance care planning at all phases of cancer * understanding complex family dynamics and communication challenges * partnering with interpreters in the care of patients and family members with limited English-language proficiency * special considerations to take into account for LGBTQ+ patients and their loved ones * caring for patients who have a serious mental illness along with a cancer diagnosis * nonpharmacologic management of pain and other symptoms associated with cancer or its treatment The book features self-reflective exercises that encourage readers to consider their own biases before having discussions with patients and family members, as well as numerous patient stories that illustrate the techniques and insights clinicians can use to provide holistic, multidimensional care for a diverse cancer patient population.

Medical care of the terminally ill is one of the most emotionally fraught and controversial issues before the public today. As medicine advances and technologies develop, end-of-life care becomes more individualized and uncertain, guided less by science and more by values and beliefs. The crux of the controversy is when to withhold or withdraw curative treatments--when is enough, enough?
Political debates rage about when treatment is no longer effective; difficult cases are contested in courts; and the media devour the most sensational aspects of end-of-life care. In all this excitement and controversy, what is sadly overlooked is the extreme pressure that care of the terminally ill puts on medical staff as they deal with patients and their families and make life-or-death decisions. That pressure--the psychological strain and continuing uncertainties--is magnified when the patients are children.
David Bearison looks at this controversial issue from the perspective of the medical staff caring for dying children. Not just doctors, but nurses and counselors as well. By capturing their stories--as no other book has, Bearison is able to move beyond broad, abstract ideas about end-of-life care to convey the situated contexts of such care, including the complications, disagreements, frustrations, confusions, and unexpected setbacks.
In addition to a discussion of questions surrounding whether to withhold or withdraw curative treatments, When Treatment Fails explores the crucial concerns of those medical practitioners who care for dying children: education and training, relation with one another, communicating with patients and families, and finally, coping and moving on.Ultimately, the threads connecting these themes are the great costs and rewards of this difficult work, and the lessons that can be drawn from the nitty-gritty experiences of medical practitioners who struggle to find the balance between trying to defeat death and trying to provide comfort.

Death is a natural part of life. But it has become a painful, protracted, humiliating process that is often inappropriate for the healthcare patient, puts an undue financial and emotional burden on the family, and provides a model of improper care for physicians in training. And it's expensive--about 22 percent of all medical expenditures are for people in the last year of their lives. Further, while studies show that 90 percent of all people would prefer to die at home surrounded by family and friends, the reality is that more than 70 percent die in institutions. As Dr. Ken Fisher argues so passionately in this book, it's time for a change. End-of-life care in the U.S. has evolved over the years into a nightmare for patients and family members, and it has created a near-crushing financial burden on the medical system that is not just excessive but unsustainable. It has driven the cost of healthcare out of reach for many people, and it is a large factor in preventing the creation of universal coverage. In Defiance of Death reviews the current state of end-of-life care and highlights its many problems from a variety of economic, political, and social perspectives. Fisher and Rockwell illuminate the ethical dilemmas we all face as technology allows us to prolong life--but at a huge human and financial cost. This book documents these problems and provides a historical perspective of how our medical system evolved. It argues that America's "defiance of death" is far too costly and recommend that all stakeholders--including the public, medical community, Congress, and business leaders--join together to create a system that improves end-of-life care for everyone involved. This book, withworkable solutions to improve our medical system, helps point the way.

This book is a seminal guide to loneliness and social isolation in old age, providing a comprehensive overview of the important correlates of socioeconomic, health and lifestyle factors upon loneliness and social isolation in old age. Bringing together contributions from leading authorities, the book showcases expertise from medicine, psychology, epidemiology, sociology, economics and gerontology. It shows the importance of identifying factors associated with loneliness and social isolation among older adults from a broader perspective, and includes discussion of a range of topics including income poverty, physical activity, family care and frailty. The chapters are evidence-based and offer a mix of empirical studies as well as reviews of international research. The book also discusses policy implications and provides an overview of nationally representative cohort studies around the world available to researchers quantifying loneliness or social isolation. This book is unique in examining loneliness and social isolation from such wide-ranging perspectives and will be essential reading for researchers and postgraduate students in the areas of mental health research, social work, and psychiatry. Health professionals involved with gerontology and geriatrics will also find this book of benefit.

* Provides valuable guidance for all student and practising SLTs who are working with older people with communication and swallowing difficulties. * Offers a holistic approach, not only looking at the physiological/biological effects, but taking into account the psychological and social impacts of aging. * Bridges theory and practice, with an emphasis on practical strategies and advice for clinicians to use in their daily work. * Dispels the myths which sound aging (due to a lack of knowledge of what is considered to be within normal range), which can lead to misdiagnosis.

This book explores the concept of relational care, what it feels like for older people and for carers, why it makes life happier and how those involved in residential or community care can make it work. Relational care is gaining traction as its benefits to individuals and society become recognised. This accessible book, based on real-life models and in-depth interviews, explores fresh ways that relational care can be facilitated in a variety of settings. It looks at practice in terms of team management, support for care workers, technology, design and architecture, intergenerational and multidisciplinary models, and their implications for resilience, wellbeing, policy and future funding. Chapters are arranged by theme and provide descriptions, learning points and resources for each model, as well as incorporating a wealth of interviews giving insights into the lived experience of relational care. This is a lively book full of realistic ideas and information for everyone who wants to find out more about, access or implement the best in care - the best for older people, their families, care workers, management and society.

Excellent end of life care for people with heart failure is challenging but possible. Failure to address this aspect of care has serious consequences for patients, their families, clinicians and the use of health resources. Heart Failure: From Advanced Disease to Bereavement illustrates the complexity and importance of end of life care for patients with advanced heart failure. This book is a pocket reference for everyday use in the clinic, ward or home visit for all doctors, nurses and AHPs caring for people with advanced heart failure. It outlines the underlying pathophysiology of heart failure, summarises standard pharmacological and device therapy, and sets the context of the challenges resulting from an unpredictable course of disease. In easily digestible summaries, this book presents practical advice about how and when to integrate a palliative care approach alongside standard heart failure management, how to communicate honestly in the face of uncertainty, the rationalisation of medication and device therapies at the end of life, symptom control, care for the dying, and care after death.

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.

A focus throughout on lifespan perspectives and a consideration of palliative care across all ages. Consideration of different cultural perspectives, beliefs, thoughts and practices outside Western societies and dominant paradigms. Integrates primary research throughout, including a focus on contemporary research from social media. Complements mainstream psychological approaches to life-limiting illness by exploring death, dying and palliative care with a critical health psychology lens.

This book brings a fresh approach and conversation to the practice of professional supervision for human services by specifically articulating its often performed, but unnamed and under-explored therapeutic function. The discussion of the therapeutic function is timely given the rising complexities in our world, and the increasing awareness of emotional impacts of human service work. These impacts include stress, distress, emotional labour, indirect trauma, and direct trauma. Posing a challenge and invitation to supervisors to comfortably inhabit the therapeutic function of supervision to increase emotional support to workers, it places safe practice and worker wellbeing at the heart of supervision to enable high quality service delivery for often the most vulnerable in society. While underpinned by theory, it is written to be practically applied and is developed from a 'lived experience' perspective, offering a unique glimpse into actual practice. By modelling one of the main aims of professional supervision, which is to facilitate and enable the integration of experience into learning and knowledge, it will be of interest to all practitioners across a broad range of human services, particularly both new and experienced supervisors.

Having a serious illness can be incredibly difficult, especially when there is no cure. As your disease progresses, not only your physical health, but your entire well-being may be affected. Unfortunately, most of your medical care may only treat your body. However, there are things that you and your health care team can do to help you feel better as a whole person.
This collaborative, skill-based program will teach you practical techniques to help you cope with your illness and the stress of everyday life. You will learn strategies to improve your mood and deal with feelings of anxiety, depression, or anger. Social support is key to successful coping and you may need to strengthen your relationships, especially with caregivers. It is also important to work with your medical team and develop more effective ways to manage your symptoms. You will set goals regarding your care as well as your quality of life. In addition, you may choose to explore your spirituality and practice tools that promote personal growth.
Your facilitator will work with you to tailor the program to your individual needs. This workbook includes user-friendly forms to help you apply the content of the sessions to your personal situation. At the end of this program, you will have a new set of hands-on skills to master as you continue to grow.