Maintaining dignity for patients approaching death is a core principle of palliative care. Translating that principle into methods of guiding care at the end of life, however, can be a complicated and daunting task. Dignity therapy, a psychological intervention developed by Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov and his internationally lauded research group, has been designed specifically to address many of the psychological, existential, and spiritual challenges that patients and their families face as they grapple with the reality of life drawing to a close. Tested with patients with advanced illnesses in Canada, the United States, Australia, China, Scotland, England, and Denmark, dignity therapy has been shown to not only benefit patients, but their families as well. In the first book to lay out the blueprint for this unique and meaningful intervention, Chochinov addresses one of the most important dimensions of being human. Being alive means being vulnerable and mortal; he argues that dignity therapy offers a way to preserve meaning and hope for patients approaching death. Dignity Therapy: Final Words for Final Days is a beautiful introduction to this pioneering and innovative work. With history and foundations of dignity in care, and step by step guidance for readers interested in implementing the program, this volume illuminates how dignity therapy can change end-of-life experience for those about to die - and for those who will grieve their passing.

The case of Terri Schiavo, a young woman who spent 15 years in a persistent vegetative state, has emerged as a watershed in debates over end-of-life care. While many observers had thought the right to refuse medical treatment was well established, this case split a family, divided a nation, and counfounded physicians, legislators, and many of the people they treated or represented. In renewing debates over the importance of advance directives, the appropriate role of artificial hydration and nutrition, and the responsibilities of family members, the case also became one of history's most extensively litigated health care disputes. The Case of Terri Schiavo assembles a team of first-hand participants and content experts to provide thoughtful and nuanced analyses. In addition to a comprehensive overview, the book includes contributions by Ms. Schiavo's guardian ad litem, a neurologist and lawyer who participated in the case, and scholars who examine issues related to litigation, faith, gender, and disability. The volume also includes a powerful dissent from the views of many scholars in the bioethics community. The book is intended for students, health care professionals, policy makers, and other in search of carefully reasoned analyses of the case that will shape our view of death and end-of-life medical care for decades.

The effective management of pain from cancer is a top priority for patients, carers and healthcare professionals, and has been the subject of extensive research. Approximately two-thirds of cancer patients will experience severe pain, and many of them will have more than one pain. However, because of the increasing number of available treatments for cancer, patients are surviving for longer periods, and are developing complex consequences of their cancer and its treatment, such as central and peripheral neuropathic pain syndromes. Approximately 8 - 10% of cancer pain remains unrelieved by conventional means.
Interventional cancer pain management implies the use of invasive techniques, such as neuraxial (epidural, intrathecal and intracerebroventricular) drug administration, brachial and lumbar plexus blocks, autonomic blockade, neurolytic blocks and cordotomy. It can also include TENS, acupuncture and complementary therapies. This book describes specifically the difficult pain problems that are now faced in palliative care and highlights the need for greater collaboration between the disciplines of pain medicine and palliative care. It refers to the psychological and spiritual needs of patients, and provides patient experience data on specialist techniques. The book is an invaluable resource for all healthcare professionals working in palliative care, pain management, and primary care to inform them about the range of interventional techniques available, with evidence of efficacy, side effects and management advice.

Society has become increasingly diverse; multi-cultural, multi-faith and wide ranging in family structures. The wealthier are healthier and social inequalities are more pronounced. Respecting and working with the range of 'differences' among service users, families and communities in health and social care with ill, dying and bereaved people is a neglected area in the literature. As the principles of palliative and end of life care increasingly permeate the mainstream of health and social care services, it is important that professionals are sensitive and respond to the differing needs of individuals from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, ethnicities, beliefs, abilities and sexual orientations, as well as to the different contexts and social environments in which people live and die. This book explores what underpins inequality, disadvantage and injustice in access to good end of life care. Increasingly clinicians, policy planners, and academics are concerned about inequity in service provision. Internationally, there is an increasing focus and sense of urgency both on delivering good care in all settings regardless of diagnosis, and on better meeting the needs of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. National initiatives emphasise the importance of resolving disparities in care and harnessing empowered user voices to drive change. This newly expanded, fully revised second edition, with 11 new chapters, provides a comprehensive analysis of discrimination, difference and disadvantage in end of life care, and offers practical guidance for all who seek to support the equitable provision of good end of life care.

Respiratory disease is the second most common cause of death worldwide. Patients with advanced non-malignant disease, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, have similar or even greater health care needs than those with advanced lung cancer. Uncontrolled symptoms, distress, and social isolation contribute to the poor quality of life experienced by such patients.
This book provides practical guidance to professionals who care for patients with advanced respiratory disease. It gives evidence-based advice on a wide range of topics, including management of respiratory and non-respiratory symptoms, chronic respiratory failure, and respiratory emergencies. Recognition of when a patient may be approaching the end of life can be particularly challenging in patients with advanced respiratory disease. Ways to facilitate prognostication are covered, along with the significant communication and ethical challenges that this phase of life can present.
Written by a respiratory specialist and two palliative medicine physicians, this book will be of great value to doctors, nurses, and allied healthcare professionals working in respiratory medicine and in palliative care, both in relation to everyday clinical practice as well as meeting the requirements for postgraduate exams.

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.

The need for renewal and support for those who care for seriously ill, dying, and bereaved people has been acknowledged from the very beginning of the hospice and palliative care movement. While often referring to the rewards and satisfactions of the work, Dame Cicely Saunders was the -first to acknowledge that helping encounters with dying patients and distressed relatives could be a source of anguish and grief for dedicated and compassionate carers. Caregiver Stress and Staff Support in Illness, Dying, and Bereavement discusses the challenge of finding a balance between the support needs of patients, families, and staff and the resources available. With contributions from practitioners and researchers from around the world, this book recognizes that palliative care today is being provided in many different settings and that there may be wide variations in the way individuals and organizations identify and manage the stressors that arise through the work. This unique collection of international perspectives on the complexities and management of caregiver stress and staff support builds on the firm foundation Mary Vachon built over thirty years ago in her studies, yet broadens the scope to include significant social, political, and cultural variations on the theme.

A widely adopted practitioner resource and course text, this book shows how to apply knowledge about behavior change in general -- and the stages-of-change model in particular -- to make substance abuse treatment more effective. The authors are leaders in the field who describe ways to tailor interventions for clients with varying levels of motivation or readiness to change. They draw on cutting-edge theory and research on the transtheoretical model to explain what works (and what doesn't work) at different stages of change. Rich clinical examples illustrate the "whats," "whys," and "how-tos" of using the stages-of-change model to inform treatment planning and intervention for individuals, groups, couples, and families. New to This Edition *Reflects the ongoing development of the stages-of-change model and research advances over the past decade. *Chapter on stage-based brief interventions in health care, social service, and community settings. *Group treatment chapter has been significantly revised. *Expanded coverage of the change processes relevant to each stage. See also Group Treatment for Substance Abuse, Second Edition, by Mary Marden Velasquez et al., a manual for a group-based approach grounded in the transtheoretical model.

Recent years have seen increasing interest in the needs of children facing bereavement, and a corresponding increase in services to support them. This book addresses and explains the theoretical concepts and practical implications behind the idea of brief work with bereaved children and families. Flexible and accessible short term services delivered at the right time underpin the strengths of bereaved children, supporting their recovery rather than pathologizing the grief process. In this way, the book also speaks to the current interest in the concept of resilience and working with families' strengths and possibilities, rather than merely identifying their problems.
This second edition continues to be a unique book within the growing field of childhood bereavement, and the new chapters added to this edition discuss managing situations with learning disabilities, supporting very young children and emotional literacy. The book also presents cases from the service user's perspective. It looks at different approaches to intervention, such as the importance of assessment and the value of groupwork, and also covers work with children and families before a death.
Brief Interventions with Bereaved Children will appeal to practitioners, educators, and service providers managing scarce resources. The editors have more than twenty-five years experience as practitioners within the field, as service providers and educators. The book features chapters from distinguished contributors with backgrounds in healthcare, educations, social work, and the police, alongside theoretical and practice-based chapters from workers in the field of bereavement care for children.

Childen's palliative care has developed rapidly as a discipline, as health care professionals recognize that the principles of adult palliative care may not always be applicable to children at the end of life. The unique needs of dying children are particularly evident across Africa, where the scale of the problem is overwhelming, and the figures so enormous that they are barely comprehensible: over 400,000 children in Africa died from AIDS in 2003, and out of the 166,000 children a year diagnosed with cancer, 85% of these are in the developing world. Despite the enormous need, provision of children's palliative care in Africa is almost non-existent, with very few health workers trained and confident to provide care for dying children. The challenges of providing palliative care in this setting are different to those in more developed countries, contending with the shortage of physical and human resources in addition to the vast scope of the care needed.
Written by a group with wide experience of caring for dying children in Africa, this book provides practical, realistic guidance by improving access to, and delivery of, palliative care in this demanding setting. It looks at the themes common to palliative care--including communication, assessment, symptom management, psychosocial issues, ethical dilemmas, end of life care, and tips for the professional on compassion and conservation of energy--but always retains the focus on the particular needs of the health care professional in Africa. While containing some theory, the emphasis is on practical action throughout the book. Children's Palliative Care in Africa provides health care professionals working in Africa, and other resource-poor settings, with the confidence, knowledge, and capacity to improve care for the terminally ill child in constrained and demanding environments.

. Brings together a diversity of experience and perspectives of the use of narrative and stories, from leading international scholars and practitioners in the social sciences and palliative care
. Considers the value, use and impact of narrative approaches in the delivery of palliative and end of life care including narrative medicine, research, education, therapy, rehabilitation, patient particiption, spiritual care, family
and bereavement care
. Identifies methods of working more effectively with narrative in everyday clinical practice
. Engages with theoretical ideas and concepts from a range of disciplines
The use of narrative methods has a long history in palliative care, pioneered by Dame Cicely Saunders, founder of the modern hospice movement. Narrative and Stories in Health Care provides a vibrant, multidisciplinary examination of work with narrative and stories in contemporary health and social care, with a focus on the care of people who are ill and dying. It animates the academic literature with provocative 'real-world' examples from international contributors, including palliative care service users and those working in the social and human sciences, medicine, theology, and the creative arts.
Narrative and Stories in Health Care addresses and discusses key questions: What is a narrative? What is a story? What are some of the main methods and models that can be used and for what purposes? What practical and ethical dilemmas can the methods entail in work with illness, death and dying? As well as highlighting the power of stories to create new possibilities, the book also acknowledges the conceptual, methodological and ethical problems and challenges inherent in narrative work.
As the hospice and palliative care movement evolves to meet the challenges of 21st century health care, this fascinating book highlights how narratives and stories can be attended to in ways that are productive, ethical, and caring."

Support for the family is a key component of palliative care practice and philosophy, with both patient and family construed as the 'unit of care'. However, there is not always formal acknowledgement of the importance of the family carer role, or that of friends, neighbours and other non-professional, informal carers. Consequently, health and social care professionals find carer support work particularly challenging. Symptom management, personal care, and administering of medications are just some of the tasks taken on by this group of non-professionals, and the impact of this role can have negative emotional, physical, financial and social implications on the care-giver. Furthermore, family carers consistently report unmet needs, and there has been a lack of intervention studies aimed at improving carer support.
This book therefore provides an evidence-based, practical guide to enable health and social care professionals to assess and respond to family carer needs. It also explores the wider sociological, policy, and research issues related to family carers and palliative care.

Predicting survival and other outcomes is increasingly being recognized as an important skill for palliative care doctors and nurses, oncologists, and other healthcare professionals who treat patients with advanced cancer. Accurate prognosis is essential if we are to offer quality of care and 'a good death', as well as to aid decision-making. There is much prognostic information available that is scattered throughout the palliative care and oncological literature but this is the first time it has been gathered systematically in one place.
Glare and Christakis, leaders in the field of prognosis, bring together a team of international contributors from across the fields of palliative care and oncology. This comprehensive but practical guide begins with the principles of prognostication, including formulating the prediction and then communicating it. Topics such as statistical issues, evidence-based medicine, and the ethics of prognostication are also covered. The second section addresses prognostication in 15 specific cancer sites once they have reached the advanced stage, following a standard template for consistency and easy access to the key information. The third section deals with prognostication in patients with a variety of common clinical conditions at the end of life, such as bowel obstruction, hypercalcaemia, and brain metastases. In addition, survival curves are provided within each chapter, palliative care conditions are examined for the first time, and a summary table of long and short term prognosis ensures this book remains practical.

Effective palliative care that rests on a sound ethical foundation requires ongoing discussions about patient and family values and preferences. This is especially important when addressing care at end-of-life including artificial nutrition and hydration, withdrawal of life-sustaining therapies and palliative sedation as well as requests for assistance in hastening death. The eighth volume in the HPNA Palliative Nursing Manuals series, Legal and Ethical Aspects of Palliative Care, provides an overview of critical communication skills and formal organizational mechanisms, such as ethics committees and interdisciplinary rounds, required for decisions in ethical dilemmas which respect diversity in the views of colleagues, as well as patients. The content of the concise, clinically focused volumes in the HPNA Palliative Nursing Manuals series is one resource for nurses preparing for specialty certification exams and provides a quick-reference in daily practice.

The first book of its kind, Resilience and Palliative Care - Achievement in adversity takes the increasing international literature on resilience and applies it to palliative and end-of-life care. The book offers an overview of all key aspects of palliative care, presented through a resilience perspective. Why do some patients and families break down while others surmounts the challenges facing them? What interventions strengthen individual, family and community coping? This book aims to facilitate change with people facing the crisis of death, dying and bereavement. Much of the existing literature has focused on risk, problems and vulnerability; the emerging concept of resilience focuses on strengths and possibilities. The 'total pain'/'total care' approach pioneered by Dame Cicely Saunders and St Christopher's Hospice now needs reinterpreting in the light of changing contexts and challenges. The realities of demographic change and resource-constrained health and social care environments have generated an increasingly risk focused approach to service delivery. A narrowly medicalised approach has inevitable limitations; professional care alone will be unable to meet need and demand in the face of ageing populations, changing patterns of illness and the need for equity. The resilience approach offers a counterbalance that harnesses the strengths of individuals and the communities in which they live and in which most of their dying will take place. Resilience thinking emphasises the importance of public health and creates a partnership between patients, professionals and community structures, seeking to build community capacity and to deliver a preventive health care that will leave future generations less afraid of the dying and bereavement that will confront all of us. This book offers insights into how, at all levels of planning and delivering palliative care, there is the opportunity to maximise coping, build an infrastructure for self-help, and increase the capacity of strengthened teams and organisations.

Health care professionals seeking to improve the quality of life for those living with serious illness and nearing the end of life will find exactly what their organization needs in the second edition of this acclaimed book by Dr. Joanne Lynn and her colleagues. Improving Care for the End of Life provides expert guidance on how to make significant improvements now, at all levels of the health care system from the bedside and the hospital to the health care policy and legislative arenas by using the rapid-cycle breakthrough approach to change. The ideas are proven, and the stories of teams that have put them to use will inspire and enlighten. New to the second edition: BL New chapters to address issues of growing interest such as continuity of care, and the special needs of dementia patients and their loved ones BL Details on trajectories of care and how these affect decisions at the end of life BL Updated and expanded information on pain management, advance care planning, ventilator withdrawal, depression and delirium, advanced heart and lung disease, and more BL Scores of new insights, measurement approaches, and tips based on the experiences of hundreds of improvement teams nationwide BL Thoroughly updated references The sourcebook speaks to all managers of health care systems serving people with serious illnesses, including doctors in offices, nurse managers on hospital units, social workers in long-term care facilities, administrators of home care and hospice agencies, hospital chaplains, directors of volunteer services, and others.

Pain in later life is both quite common and disabling, and it differs significantly in terms of its aetiology, diagnosis and treatment from pain in the general adult population. Older people often have complicated co-morbidities, have a high prevalence of mental health problems (e.g. anxiety, cognitive impairment, and depression) and respond to treatment in different ways compared to younger people. Their specific needs are rarely discussed specifically in more general texts.
Part of the "Oxford Pain Management Library," this pocketbook will serve as a concise companion for healthcare professionals who manage older patients suffering with pain. Concise chapters will summarize up-to-date reserach literature in a practical style that will have direct relevance to busy clinicians. Introductory chapters will include the epidemiology of pain in older people as well as the proper assessment of older patients with pain conditions. Later chapters will focus on specific painful conditions common in the elderly, including arthritis and rheumatism, osteoporosis, abdominal pain, and cancer.
The book will appeal to a wide variety of health care professionals in both primary care and secondary care services such as geriatric medicine, rheumatology, orthopedics, surgery, pain management and palliative medicine. The book will also be of relevance to nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, clinical psychologists, pharmacists and other health care providers.

Around one in three people in the western world will develop cancer at some stage in life and complementary therapies are increasingly being used alongside orthodox treatments as part of the 'integrative' approach to cancer care. Enhancing Cancer Care is a practical, evidence-based guide to complementary cancer therapies, also described as natural or holistic therapies. More and more patients are turning to these therapies as there is now considerable evidence that they can help with symptom-control and quality-of-life, and that some may also extend survival. Complementary therapies can also provide the patient with a greater sense of control regarding the management of their illness. From the editor of Integrated Cancer Care, this new title provides detailed commentary on a broad range of complementary therapies and features practical advice on how to implement therapies to enhance current practice. The first part of the book deals with the general principles behind complementary therapies and the factors driving their growing popularity, the challenges of evaluating their benefits and unwanted effects, and experience of using them in oncology units, hospices, the private sector and primary care. The second part includes chapters on specific interventions, including complementary therapies such as acupuncture and aromatherapy massage; lifestyle modifications through diet and exercise; creative therapies using art and music; and psychological and spiritual support for individuals and groups. These chapters provide descriptions of the therapies, a summary of the evidence for their benefits in cancer care, and illustrative case histories. The emphasis throughout this book is on enhancing practice; that is, using the therapies alongside conventional medicine, rather than as alternatives to it.

Despite the fact that most palliative care educators are involved in teaching, there is little literature devoted to education specifically within palliative care. This book bridges that gap, giving a wide-ranging, global view of palliative care education. It offers theoretical and practical insights, along with specific suggestions for developing knowledge and skills for teaching. It also contains extensive accounts of important contextual matters which influence the range and quality of palliative care education, including: interprofessional learning; continuing professional development; evaluation; and educational leadership. The development of palliative care as a clinical speciality is increasingly conducted at an international level, and a special feature of this book is the inclusion of chapters reviewing palliative care education in each continent. This enables practitioners and teachers to share knowledge across diverse healthcare systems and cultures. There is also an acknowledgement of the multi-professional team involved in palliative care, as education and training are looked at from the perspectives of doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals. The book is split into three distinct parts: Part 1 - sets the scene for existing palliative care education, both in the UK and internationally. Part 2 - focuses on the theory underpinning each aspect of teaching, learning and assessment, and then examines the practicalities of delivering these in the clinical setting. Part 3 - explores ways of building and nurturing a culture of learning in palliative care, whether as an individual or as an organization.

A practical, empowering guide to navigating your partner's diagnosis of a terminal or life-limiting illness, or death. Receiving the news that your partner has a terminal or life-limiting illness, or has died unexpectedly, is among the worst experiences in life. At a time when you are least able to cope, you are faced with a multitude of difficult decisions, some of which must be made quickly. What you need is a friend who has experienced everything you are about to face, who can support you as you navigate some tough, important choices. This book is that friend. There is plenty of information out there but where to start looking? What information is needed and how can it be accessed? What decisions are essential in the immediate term and what can be left until later? Throughout the book, the emphasis is on protecting and supporting those left behind by presenting almost every choice you may need to make and the possible implications of each decision. You will learn: - The importance of creating a will, arranging power of attorney, organising advanced decisions of treatment, and even getting married or entering a civil partnership - What you are entitled to from the state, the NHS and your employer - How to stabilise your finances and prepare to run a household alone - Where your partner ought to be during treatment and/or palliative care, and how to go about achieving this - Which decisions need to be made after death, from planning the funeral to accessing your partner's estate - How to navigate the grieving process and take control of a happy future No matter where you are in the process, How to Survive Losing a Loved One is a comprehensive, practical and empowering guide to coping with your partner's terminal illness and death, and building the next chapter in your life.

The idea of a philosophy of palliative care emerged with Cicely Saunders' vision for 'a good death', and was developed further with the WHO definition of palliative care. It is now being applied not only to cancer patients, but to all patients in end of life situations. As this 'palliative care approach' advances, it is important to pause and comment on its effectiveness. It is a philosophy of patient care, and is therefore open to critique and evaluation. Using the Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine, 3rd edition as their basic reference, Randall and Downie present their argument that the palliative care approach has become too busy and over-professionalised, and that it therefore has significant weaknesses. They examine the framework of the specialty - quality of life, autonomy, dignity, patient-centredness, and the priority assigned to relatives in the remit of care - and the moral problems associated with implementing such a philosophy. The resource implications of various health care policies are also discussed in relation to the WHO definition. Whilst the authors defend the achievements of palliative care and those who work in the profession, they present suggestions for an alternative philosophy. Their philosophy prompts many ethical and philosophical questions about the future of palliative care.

All long-term illnesses, whatever their diagnosis, have much in common. The difficulties and challenges that come with illness, and the strategies to overcome them, are shared by most patients. Managing an illness effectively and tackling the difficulties it causes can greatly improve how you feel and your quality of life. This book identifies the challenges posed by illness and suggests a wide variety of ways in which you might meet them. Key to this is the idea of becoming expert in managing your own illness and learning how best to deal with it. The authors accept that you know more than them about how you experience it, so that rather than telling you what to do, they offer a tool box from which you may pick the strategies that best suit you. The two authors, one a person with a long-term illness and one a doctor, combine their expertise and experience to offer a practical and comprehensive guide along your own unique journey. If you have a long-term illness, or if you care for someone who does, then this is a book for you.

This is the fourth volume in a new international, multi-contributed series aimed at providing practical, clinical guidance on how to deal with difficult symptoms related to specific cancer sites. In this volume the Editors bring together first-rate palliative care with oncological treatment for patients with advanced breast cancer. The book is presented in a user-friendly handbook format, with use of tables and algorithms to ensure that it is portable, accessible and can be read and referred to on, or before going to, the ward, or before a domiciliary visit. Specialists in palliative care and oncology settings, working in the acute sector and in hospices, will find the book invaluable. It will also appeal to consultants as well as specialist registrars, clinical nurse specialists and nurse practitioners in palliative care and oncology. The Palliative Care Consultations series is primarily aimed at those individuals working in an acute hospital cancer centre and/or tertiary referral centre. Books are designed to give the busy clinician advice on clinical problems, both those rarely encountered and those that are very common, but difficult. The volumes are site specific and each volume encompasses a review of the current oncological or haemato-oncological management of advanced disease with symptom control advice. These volumes will give clinicians excellent advice on symptom control in the context of palliative care. The books will also be of use and interest to other professions working in acute hospitals.

Since the publication of the first edition of "The Medical Care of Terminally Ill Patients," the field of palliative care has progressed significantly, both socially and scientifically. In this new edition, Dr. Robert Enck reviews the results of clinical studies devoted to the care of dying patients. Special attention is given to pain management, management of symptoms, care of advanced cancer patients, and care of patients with nonmalignant diseases. More than 100 new references, a new list of abbreviations, and tables with new drugs and dosages provides valuable information.

Dr. Enck places great emphasis on enhancing the quality of life while addressing the most common symptoms of terminal illness.

This book provides a practical, evidence-based overview of the supportive care of patients with urological failure, covering issues such as quality of life measurements, the role of the multidisciplinary team, and psychological and social support for patients, families and carers. The book focuses on chronic symptoms such as chronic prostatitis. It begins by looking at quality of life measurements, self-help strategies, the role of the interdisciplinary team, and psychological and social support. It then moves on to clinical chapters which cover issues such as patients who present with hematuria, urinary retention, urinary incontinence, neurological disease affecting the urinary tract, chronic prostatitis, and infertility; ending with a chapter on supportive care for the urology patient and family in the future. The book places a special emphasis on symptomatic interventions, particularly in the setting where the course of the illness cannot be modified.