Palliation and the Elderly

Paper Summary:

This paper is a discussion of palliative care in the elderly patient. The topics discussed include pain management, pain assessment and palliation, sensory loss/balance, and falls, poly-pharmacy and others. The writer points out that not every older patient is a good candidate for aggressive treatment, nor should every older patient be treated with the expectation of recovery. Further, the writer notes that at times there are issues that affect elderly patients who are frail, for whom palliative treatment is the only recourse.

From the Paper:

"The issue of palliation in care of the older patient is an important one to consider. Not every older patient is a good candidate for aggressive treatment, nor should every older patient be treated with the expectation of recovery. Palliation, then, meets the needs of these patients. At times there are issues that affect elderly patients who are frail, for whom palliative treatment is the only recourse. Although much of the elderly population enjoys good health, many individuals in that population have such illnesses as cancer. Such patients will not benefit from more toxic forms of treatment, but may benefit from treatments that focus on quality of life. Ultimately, as stated in Jerrard, "the goal of palliative care is to honor the patients' wishes"."

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