Collegian
Volume 15, Issue 1 , Pages 3-9 , February 2008

A qualitative investigation of the palliative care needs of terminally ill people who live alone

  • S. Aoun, BSc, MPH, PhD

      Affiliations

    • WA Centre for Cancer & Palliative Care, Curtin University of Technology, Bentley, WA 6028, Australia
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorresponding author.
    • ,
  • L.J. Kristjanson, RN, BN, MN, PhD

      Affiliations

    • WA Centre for Cancer & Palliative Care, Curtin University of Technology, Bentley, WA 6028, Australia
    • ,
  • L. Oldham, RN, BN(Hons), PhD

      Affiliations

    • WA Centre for Cancer & Palliative Care, Curtin University of Technology, Bentley, WA 6028, Australia
    • ,
  • D. Currow, MPH, FRACP

      Affiliations

    • Department of Palliative and Supportive Services, Flinders University, Sturt Road, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia

,Accepted 11 November 2007.

References 

  1. Abernethy, A. P., Shelby-James, T. M., Fazekas, B. S., Woods, D., & Currow, D. C. (2005). Performance status assessment in palliative care setting: Agreement between three versions of the Karnofsky Performance Scale [Electronic Version] from http://www.caresearch.com.au/minigen/resources/eapc%20kps.pdf.
  2. Aoun S, Kristjanson L, Currow D, Skett K, Oldham L, Yates P. Terminally-ill people living alone without a caregiver: An Australian national scoping study of palliative care needs. Palliative Medicine. 2007;21(1):29–34
  3. Brazil K, Bedard M, Willison K. Factors associated with home death for individuals who receive home support services: a retrospective cohort study. BMC Palliative Care. 2002;1(1):2–8
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  7. Grundy E, Mayer D, Young H, Sloggett . Living arrangements and place of death of older people with cancer in England and Wales: A record linkage study. British Journal of Cancer. 2004;91:907–912
  8. Gyllenhammar E, Thoren-Todoulos E, Strang P, Strom G, Eriksson E, Kinch M. Predictive factors for home deaths among cancer patients in Swedish palliative home care. Support Care Cancer. 2003;11:560–567
  9. Higginson IJ, Astin P, Dolan S. Where do cancer patients die? Ten-year trends in the place of death of cancer patients in England. Palliative Medicine. 1998;12:353–363
  10. Hinton J. Which patients with terminal cancer are admitted from home care?. Palliative Medicine. 1994;8:197–210
  11. Jordhoy MS, Fayers P, Saltnes T, Ahlner-Elmqvist M, Jannert M, Kaasa S. A palliative care intervention and death at home: A cluster randomised trial. The Lancet. 2000;356(9233):888–893
  12. Karlsen S, Addington-Hall J. How do cancer patients who die at home differ from those who die elsewhere?. Palliative Medicine. 1998;12(4):279–286
  13. Karnofsky DA, Abelmann WH, Craver LF, Burchenal JH. The use of nitrogen mustards in the palliative treatment of carcinoma. Cancer. 1948;1:634–666
  14. Mahoney FI, Barthel D. Functional evaluation: The Barthel Index. Maryland State Medical Journal. 1965;14:56–61
  15. National Centre for Social and Economic Modelling . Who's going to care? Informal care and an ageing population: Report prepared for Carers Australia. Canberra, ACT: University of Canberra; 2004;
  16. Skett, K., Clark, R., Skinner, L., Smith, J., & Oldham, L. (2004). Living and dying at home alone. Silver Chain Hospice Care, Unpublished report.
  17. Van den Eynden B, Hermann I, Schrijvers D, Van Royen P, Maes R, Vermeulen L, et al. Factors determining the place of palliative care and death of cancer patients. Supportive Care in Cancer. 2000;8(59–64):

PII: S1322-7696(07)00007-8

doi: 10.1016/j.colegn.2007.11.005

Collegian
Volume 15, Issue 1 , Pages 3-9 , February 2008

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