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Monday, 18 November 2013: 10:00 AM
Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to describe four dimensions of suffering in individuals with dementia at end of life.
Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to apply the dimensions of suffering in assessing individuals with dementia at end of life.
Suffering is difficult to assess but particularly so in people with dementia who do not use language purposefully. Hospice and palliative care are frequently withheld from dementia patients until end of life is near. While it is assumed that people with dementia do suffer in the late stages of their disease, this assumption is not clear in the literature. Therefore, the research questions proposed for this analysis include: 1)What are the dimensions of the concept of suffering? 2)How will knowing the relationships between the dimensions and qualities of the concept ‘suffering’ ensure widespread acceptance, understanding, and applicability in research and practice of suffering in individuals with dementia at end of life? The aims of this analysis are to analyze dimensions of the concept of suffering in individuals with dementia at end of life and to establish relationships between these dimensions to improve care at end of life for this population. Caron and Bowers' method of dimensional analysis guided the analysis. Fourteen studies were selected from five databases and included in the analysis. The analysis identified four dimensions of suffering (pain, holistic, discomfort, and despair) and two subdimensions (symptoms and communication) and significant meanings and relationships were found among the dimensions. However, these dimensions are not well explored in the literature, hence the need for further research in this area as well as care that is focused on relieving suffering and providing comfort at end of life in individuals with dementia.
See more of: Outcomes Measurements for Geriatric Conditions
See more of: Oral Paper & Poster: Science Sessions
See more of: Oral Paper & Poster: Science Sessions