This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gray, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gray, J. Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Protecting Hospice Patients: A New Look at Falls Prevention

From the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, julliegray{at}earth-link.net

Falls prevention is a critical priority in hospice and palliative care settings. To keep patients safe and comply with national standards, hospice professionals must have available appropriate assessment, prevention, and intervention tools. Existing procedures engaging patients in strengthening exercises and reducing or eliminating medications that cause dizziness, imbalance and confusion are fitting and useful in environments where first-line fall reduction efforts are possible. These current tools are based on research in facilities for nonhospice patients and run counter to the goals of palliative care. By definition, hospice patients have a terminal illness and are, or will become, too weak to manage strengthening exercises. Without their medications, many would experience intolerable pain and unmanageable anxiety and depression. This article proposes assessment guidelines and pragmatic interventions to reduce the risk of falling that are consistent with the hospice philosophy of comfort.

Key Words: hospice • palliative care • falls prevention • falls prevention in hospice

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?