… a group of prominent British medical and legal experts has authored a report summarizing the Oregon experience with physician assisted suicide (PAS). A significant concern noted is that although early in the Oregon experience one-third of those who committed suicide received psych assessment and treatment for depression and other conditions, most recently none of […]
oregon’s experience with physician assisted suicide … Read More »
… not all moaning, twitching, agitation or other new symptoms near the end of life are due to ‘terminal restlessness’. See the summary on delirium at end-of-life. slides 7-8-9 list common things that might be going on slides 10-11-12-13 give some (non-pharmacologic) inteventions to try A common cause of new symptoms (twitching, restlessness, moaning) or
terminal restlessness … Read More »
“In an article edited in Lancet in 1887, which criticized the diagnosis and therapy by phone, which were really exalted at that time, we can find a comment on this picture: “The child lies desperately ill while the parents huddle in the background, fearful, helpless and grief-stricken. There is nothing more the physician can do
… a good summary of the move (back) to providing care in our patient’s homes.
why health care is going home … Read More »
… a study that tried to improve end-of-life care in the intensive care unit with a series of education interventions concluded that “… this intervention was associated with no improvement in quality of dying … Improving ICU end-of-life care will require interventions with more direct contact with patients and family.” Shades of the SUPPORT study
palliative care in the icu … Read More »
John Prine performs “Hello in There” Ya’ know that old trees just grow stronger, And old rivers grow wilder ev’ry day. Old people just grow lonesome Waiting for someone to say, “Hello in there, hello.” So if you’re walking down the street sometime And spot some hollow ancient eyes, Please don’t just pass ’em by
… makes possible what would appear to be impossible. CL Canada discusses euthanasia and physician assisted suicide. An Event, Now, Allows Us to Embrace Life The current debate on euthanasia and assisted suicide has seen many terms bandied about, at times intelligently, at other times deceptively. From one side or the other we hear about
only a relationship … Read More »
… are best managed on a case-by-case basis after thorough evaluation, in general using behavioral approaches (not drugs). Some resources … An excellent monograph from the Alzheimer’s Assoc. A slide-set from the Int’l Pyscho-Geriatric Assoc. More than you want to know … including a primary care guide. A BPSD Handout.
behavioral & psych symptoms of dementia … Read More »
… and are willing to be accompanied by others … Zucchi discusses the real choices to be engaged at life’s end. “Our choice is between hopelessness and hope, between despair and another way of looking at life, where we are not masters of our own destinies but rather human beings who uphold our fellow human
human beings who uphold our fellow human beings … Read More »
… to avoid being present to those for whom we care? … read dom Andre Louf … ” … for me really to love, it is important that I feel a sense of need myself. My own need for love plays a role as great as the material or even the spiritual needs of others.
active, generous service as a way to avoid love? Read More »
