Care of the seriously ill in the community

Sample To be included in the study, the terminally ill people had to be 50 years or older at the time of designation, residents of the catchment area of the participating access centre, and designated as palliative by the participating access centre. [...] After leaving the home, the interviewers held a debriefing session in which they described aspects of the pair and the home that might provide contextual cues to help interpret the information received during the interviews. [...] These include the opportunity to strengthen the relationship, the discovery of emotional strength, and the identification of previously unknown abilities. [...] The following themes emerged: • Good continuity of care was provided if the family received care from the same staff person or the same agency; if the service provider had specialized training in palliative care; and if a consistent care plan was delivered by a multidisciplinary team based on the status, goals, and expectations of the patients and their families. [...] Anticipated papers will address the following issues: 1) Care of the seriously ill in the community: Study methods and patterns of caregiving This report will provide an overview of the objectives and design of a research program that investigated care of the terminally ill in the community.