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Biomedical subjects

J A Rhymes

Publications and source records attributed to J A Rhymes.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Barriers to effective palliative care of terminal patients. An international perspective.

Barriers to palliative care around the world include: underutilization of and lack of access to opiates; the separation of palliative (hospice) care from the usual health care system in much of the world; cultural barriers to discussing death and dying; and, especially for the developing countries, financial barriers to good palliative care. Palliative care education for health care providers, pain initiatives as well as flexibility and adaptation of palliative care principles to local resources may help overcome these barriers.

Attitude to Death↗
PubMed1991

Clinical management of the terminally ill.

Physicians who provide primary care for the elderly are spending more time caring for terminally ill patients. Although curing these patients' illnesses is impossible, it is often possible to improve their quality of life and give them more control over their illness. Communication with the patient and family members, advance directives, and planning for death are important. Symptoms such as pain, dyspnea, and nausea can usually be controlled. Other health care professionals and hospice care when appropriate can also be helpful.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Home hospice care.

Home hospice care, which helps patients with terminal illnesses remain at home, is becoming more common and accepted in the United States. The Medicare hospice benefit reimburses hospices for the care of elderly patients. The goal of hospices is to help the patient and family remain in control of the dying process as much as possible. Palliative care rather than the extension of life is emphasized. Hospice techniques for controlling symptoms such as pain, nausea, and vomiting are discussed in this article.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Nonmedical complications of diagnostic workup for dementia [clinic conference].

Testing for patients presenting with dementias can lead to diagnosis of disorders that can contribute to cognitive dysfunction, and to improvement, stabilization, or slowed deterioration in some demented patients. However, possible benefits must be balanced against possible costs. The present recommendations for workup of patients with dementia includes some tests with only marginal benefits, and a more limited workup may be as effective. This case demonstrates how important it is to be sensitive as well to possible effects on family relationships of demented patients. When we evaluate and treat demented patients, the dependence of the demented patient on the caregiver and the emotional and physical stresses experienced by many caregivers make it important to consider the patient and caregiver as a system vulnerable to many potential risks.

Aged↗