Restricting Symptoms Before and After Admission to Hospice.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Prior work has shown that symptoms leading to restrictions in daily activities are common at the end of life. Hospice is a Medicare benefit designed to alleviate distressing symptoms in the last 6 months of life. The effect of hospice on the burden of such symptoms is uncertain.

Methods

From an ongoing cohort study of 754 community-dwelling older persons, aged ≥70 years, we evaluated 241 participants who were admitted to hospice from March 1998 to December 2013. A set of 15 physical and psychological symptoms leading to restricted activity (ie, cut down on usual activities or spend at least half the day in bed) were ascertained during monthly telephone interviews in the year before and 3 months after hospice admission.

Results

The prevalence and mean number

SUBMITTER: Cheraghlou S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4914433 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature