Improving Care for the End of Life

Offers professionals who care for dying persons an extensive yet user-friendly guide on how to render the best possible treatment. Overview chapters focus on the epidemiology of dying, patterns of treatment and service and other relevant topics, including dying of specific diseases.

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In a time when the nation's health care system is still unrefined, dying persons and their families are forced to confront numerous problems; among the worst are huge medical bills, isolation, fear, and little to no coordination among the services and care provided. As more and more people suffer from chronic illnesses that prolong the dying process, the need for an effective code of treatment for terminally ill and dying patients grows substantially. This sourcebook attempts to fill that need. It provides professionals who care for dying persons an extensive yet user-friendly guide on how to render the best possible treatment. It is complete with bar graphs, pie charts, an annotated bibliography, and lists of other resources. Overview chapters focus on the epidemiology of dying, patterns of treatment and service, the experience of dying persons, family roles, health care systems, and financing. Other chapters discuss dying of specific diseases, socio-cultural factors that influence how we die, and differences in dying by age.
Care for the Dying concludes with an important discussion of future directions and a useful appendix that includes methods for measuring quality in health care. Undoubtedly, this book is a necessity for all who pursue the best care possible for people in their last stages of life.