Literature Review

Signs of end-stage Parkinson's disease Medical News Today; Medically reviewed by Heidi Moawad, MD, by Meara Withe; 3/18/24... Understanding the signs of end-stage Parkinson’s disease is crucial for patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals alike. This article explores the physical health, mental health, and emotional dimensions of end-stage Parkinson’s, shedding light on what to expect and how to provide compassionate care during this demanding phase. Editor's Note: Hospice and palliative non-medical interdisciplinary team members need to understand disease-specific factors related to the patient's experience and the family caregiver's challenges. These include social workers, chaplains, counselors, and caregiver-oriented volunteers.  

Clinician perspectives on integrating neuro-oncology and palliative care for patients with high-grade glioma  Oxford Academic Neuro-Oncology Practice; by Rita C Crooms, MD MPH; Jeannys F Nnemnbeng, MD MS RRT; Jennie W Taylor, MD MPH; Nathan E Goldstein, MD; Ksenia Gorbenko, PhD; Barbara G Vickrey, MD MPH; 3/14/24  Background/objectives: Patients with high-grade glioma have high palliative care needs, yet few receive palliative care consultation. This study aims to explore themes on 1) benefits of primary (delivered by neuro-oncologists) and specialty (SPC) palliative care and 2) barriers to SPC referral, according to a diverse sample of clinicians.

Palliative and end-of-life care in hematologic malignancies: Progress and opportunities JCO Oncology Practice, by Mazie Tsang, MD, MAS, MS and Thomas W. LeBlanc, MD, MA, MHS, FAAHPM, FASC; 3/13/24 ... An important finding from this study was the qualitative data from narratives of volunteer caregivers and hospice staff that described daily patient care, changes in patient status, perceived symptom burden, and indications for medication administration. The authors identified skin integrity concerns, bleeding, pathologic fractures, and delirium as unique issues for patients with hematologic malignancies enrolled on hospice. ... These findings provide further evidence that hospice care can and does work well for some patients with hematologic malignancies. 

[ALS] Controlling what can be controlled: Palliative Care ALS Association [Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease]; 3/13/24 “Palliative care specialists can help people determine and define what are the ‘everyday things’ that matter to them. Some people may already know what these are but may not have had an opportunity to share this information with their health care team,” Dr. Mehta says. “Others may not know they can share this with their health care team. They may not know where to find help with these ‘everyday things.’ [Dr. Ambereen K. Mehta, MD, MPH, FAAHPM, associate professor of palliative care in the Departments of Medicine and Neurology at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine]Editor's Note: Are your palliative care services connected with your local ALS Association? This page on the ALS website describes beautifully the benefits of palliative care as soon as the diagnosis occurs.