Tag

End Of Life Care

All articles tagged with #end of life care

health14 days ago•18 min saved

Final Lucid Moments in Dementia Patients May Unlock Treatment Clues

Caregivers frequently report sudden, brief moments of clarity in advanced dementia patients, often occurring shortly before death. Researchers, including Joan M. Griffin of the Mayo Clinic, are investigating this phenomenon, termed 'paradoxical lucidity,' to understand if it reveals mechanisms for restoring cognitive function. While these episodes offer emotional comfort to families, scientists hope the underlying biological triggers could lead to future therapeutic interventions.

via washingtonpost.com|

#alzheimers #cognitive-decline #dementia

uk-politics28 days ago•27 min saved

Commons votes down renewed bid to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales

In a live Commons session, MPs rejected the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill by 286 votes to 270, ending the bid to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales for now; the issue could return as a new bill next year. Campaign groups lament the defeat, while some MPs had changed their minds. The debate also highlighted calls for stronger palliative care and hospice funding, and concerns about safeguards and inequalities in access to end-of-life options.

via BBC|

#assisted-dying #end-of-life-care #palliative-care

politics28 days ago•6 min saved

UK MPs edge closer to legalising assisted dying in England and Wales

MPs are set to vote on a Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill to legalise assisted dying in England and Wales for adults with under six months to live, with safeguards requiring two doctors and an expert panel. Supporters argue it addresses delay and relieves suffering; opponents warn the safeguards are insufficient and could harm vulnerable people. If approved, the bill would go back to the Lords, which has previously stalled it, possibly aided by the Parliament Acts if identical legislation clears both houses in successive sessions. Prime Minister Burnham remains neutral and will not vote on the measure.

via BBC|

#assisted-dying #end-of-life-care #parliament

politics2 months ago•6 min saved

New York Enacts Strict Medical Aid in Dying Law

New York’s Medical Aid in Dying Act takes effect, allowing terminally ill adults with six months to live to request lethal medication from their clinician under stringent safeguards, including multiple patient requests, a residency requirement, and a mental health evaluation; eligible patients must be 18+, have a terminal illness likely to cause death within six months, be of sound mind, and be physically capable of self-administering the medication. The law makes New York the 14th state to legalize medical aid in dying, following a decade-long fight with opposition from the Catholic Church and disability advocates. Health officials issued implementation guidance amid ongoing litigation, including a temporary exemption for Carmelite nuns opting out of participation. Advocates say the option is rarely used but meaningful for some and hope to spur similar legislation in other states.

via Politico|

#end-of-life-care #kathy-hochul #legislation

politics2 months ago•378 min saved

New York Opens Path for Terminally Ill to End Their Lives With Medical Aid

New York’s new law will allow terminally ill patients to end their lives with legally prescribed medication, taking effect this week after a yearslong push by advocates; supporters say it offers a compassionate, autonomy-respecting option, while opponents warn about safeguards and potential pressure on vulnerable patients.

via NBC News|

#autonomy #end-of-life-care #health-policy

health-policy3 months ago•3 min saved

Medicare to require hospitals to log end-of-life preferences in electronic records by 2028

Medicare proposes hospitals begin recording adults’ end-of-life care preferences (including DNR orders and designated decision-makers) in electronic health records by 2028, with these preferences part of quality metrics that could affect reimbursements from 2030. The goal is to normalize advance care planning and reduce unwanted, costly interventions, though providers warn about added burden and studies show mixed effects on care and outcomes.

via Axios|

#advance-directives #cms #electronic-health-records

science4 months ago•13 min saved

Hearing Persists in the Final Hours, EEG Study Finds

A 2020 University of British Columbia EEG study, published in Scientific Reports, found actively dying hospice patients still exhibit brain responses to sounds hours before death—through event-related potentials—suggesting the voices of loved ones in the room may reach them even when they are unresponsive. The finding lends neural support to hospice guidance to speak normally and play familiar sounds, though it does not prove subjective experience and the study’s small, variably conditioned sample limits broad conclusions.

via Space Daily|

#auditory-processing #eeg #end-of-life-care

health4 months ago•10 min saved

Singing a Goodbye: My First MAID Experience and a Dignified Farewell

A Toronto physician recounts witnessing his 93-year-old patient, Mrs. MacNeil, choose medical assistance in dying (MAID). Surrounded by family and caregivers, she faced the process with autonomy and calm, gifting him a wooden seagull and inviting him to sing as she peacefully died. The experience prompts reflection on what constitutes a dignified death, the primacy of patient autonomy, and the physician’s own confrontation with mortality.

via HuffPost|

#autonomy #canada #death-with-dignity

health4 months ago•16 min saved

Your Legacy: How Values and Meaning Shape Life and Death

A BBC health feature argues that thinking about the legacy we leave behind can boost mental health and give life more meaning, with legacy categorized into biological, material, and values; examples range from organ and body donation to recording life stories and passing on beliefs. Thinking about legacy early in life may reduce death anxiety, encourage prosocial behavior, and guide choices, while end-of-life activities can ease grief and provide comfort for patients and families.

via BBC|

#death #end-of-life-care #health

entertainment5 months ago•16 min saved

Nicole Kidman Pursues Death-Doula Training to Support End-of-Life Care

At a Silk Speaker Series event in San Francisco, Nicole Kidman revealed she is training to become a death doula—a non-medical caregiver who offers emotional, spiritual and practical support for people navigating death—an idea sparked by her mother’s passing in 2024; she notes the need for impartial comfort, a path also pursued by Chloe Zhao.

via Variety|

#chloe-zhao #death-doula #end-of-life-care

health6 months ago•35 min saved

Stomach Pain on European Trek Precedes Rapid Pancreatic Cancer Death

A British couple on the Camino de Santiago experienced worsening stomach pain for husband David, 71; after returning to the UK, he was diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer and died about two weeks later, spending 12 days in hospice. His wife, Tacey, is fundraising for St Peter's Hospice through the Tour de Bristol to support end-of-life care.

via Yahoo|

#camino-de-santiago #end-of-life-care #health

business7 months ago•38 min saved

Charlie Munger: End-of-Life Chemotherapy Shouldn’t Be About Profit

Berkshire Hathaway vice chair Charlie Munger criticized end-of-life cancer treatment as often pointless, costly, and driven by financial incentives, calling it ‘evil’ and ‘asinine’ to pour chemotherapy into patients who are essentially dead; he argued there’s a point when medicine should stop and contemplated broader U.S. healthcare reform ideas, including single-payer-style approaches, noting the large role of costs in the economy.

via Yahoo|

#berkshire-hathaway #business #charlie-munger

health8 months ago•29 min saved

Last Moments, Bright Minds: Terminal Lucidity in Children

Scientists are studying terminal lucidity, brief and unexpected moments of mental clarity near death, now observed in children as well as adults. The article highlights cases where dying kids regain speech, recognize family, and offer reassurance before death, including a documented case of a 3-year-old with liver and pulmonary failure. Estimates suggest 2–6% of dying individuals experience such episodes, though underreporting may inflate the true rate. The research explores overlaps with near-death experiences, potential neurological triggers, and the implications for end-of-life care—such as how caregivers respond and whether medications should be escalated—advocating a normalization of these experiences while recognizing that more study is needed to understand consciousness and brain function.

via Nautilus | Science Connected|

#consciousness #dying-children #end-of-life-care

healthcare9 months ago•4 min saved

Hospitals Warn of End-of-Life Care Crisis Threatening Treatment

A crisis in end-of-life care is emerging in Sussex hospitals due to increasing numbers of patients needing palliative care, leading to overcrowded hospitals, difficult decisions for staff, and strained community and hospice services, with concerns that this situation could worsen during winter.

via BBC|

#end-of-life-care #healthcare #hospital-crisis

health11 months ago•7 min saved

Growing Anxiety Over the Fear of Dying Alone

Many older adults living alone face the growing concern of dying without loved ones by their side, due to factors like widowhood, estrangement, or health issues, raising questions about end-of-life support and societal responsibility.

via Katie Couric Media|

#dying-alone #elderly #end-of-life-care