Living with motor neurone disease: lives, experiences of services and suggestions for change

Clinician Perspectives Highlight the Need for Early Dyadic Coping Skills for People Living With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

CONTEXT

A diagnosis of ALS can be challenging, and many people find ways to adapt. At the same time, emotional distress can arise early after an ALS diagnosis even when high quality multidisciplinary care is provided. When emotional distress occurs, it can become chronic over time, and can affect both the person living with ALS and their care-partner (together called a dyad).

OBJECTIVES

We set out to understand ALS multidisciplinary clinicians' perception of the challenges experienced by people with ALS and care-partners who experience emotional distress after diagnosis and potential benefits of a coping skills program to help these patients and their care-partners, Resilient Together-ALS (RT-ALS).

METHODS

We conducted semi-structured focus groups and individual interviews with 17 clinicians at the Sean M. Healey & AMG Center for ALS at MGH (N = 2 focus groups and five interviews) to elicit feedback on four domains: 1) Psychosocial Needs of ALS Dyads seen in the clinic; 2) Clinic Flow and Referral System to RT-ALS; 3) Clinic Partnership Approach in Support of RT-ALS; 4) RT-ALS Program Content and Manual Format. We conducted rapid data analyses for a time-efficient hybrid inductive-deductive thematic approach.

RESULTS

Clinicians noted that dyadic distress (distress experienced by both patient and their care-partner individually and as a unit), though not universal, is often present early after diagnosis. The response to the proposed program content (dyadic and individual coping skills) and structure (6 weekly virtual sessions delivered within about 2 months after diagnosis) was positive. Multidisciplinary clinicians emphasized the importance of a skills-based program for dyads experiencing elevated early emotional distress for which referral can be easily integrated within clinic flow so as not to not increase provider and dyad burden.

CONCLUSION

RT-ALS program content and structure is acceptable to clinicians. It is imperative to next seek further input from dyads about whether this type of program would be of interest and if yes, to pilot and refine the program for feasibility testing and then efficacy.

Working with people living with motor neurone disease and the impact on professionals' emotional and psychological well-being: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Integrated multidisciplinary care is required to manage the progressive and debilitating symptoms associated with motor neurone disease. Professionals can find providing the level of care required by this population clinically and emotionally challenging. To support those working with these patients it is important to understand the experience of the entire multidisciplinary team involved and the impact of working with motor neurone disease on their emotional and psychological well-being.

AIM

To identify what is known about (1) healthcare professionals' experience of working with motor neurone disease and (2) the impact of this work on their emotional and psychological well-being.

DESIGN

Scoping review. Review protocol registered on Open Science Framework.

SOURCES

Five electronic databases were searched in January 2023 and 2024. Grey literature and hand searches were completed.

RESULTS

Fifty-one sources published between 1990 and 2023 were included. A total of 1692 healthcare professionals are represented. Three main categories were identified: (1) The demands of providing motor neurone disease care. (2) Factors influencing professionals' ability to provide desired levels of care. (3) The emotional impact of working with motor neurone disease. Subcategories are depicted within these.

CONCLUSION

Positive experiences included job satisfaction, enhanced perspective and receiving gratitude, while negative implications such as stress, emotional exhaustion and burnout also featured. The demands of motor neurone disease patient care, the organisation of services and resources required to meet patient and family needs and the emotional burden for professionals involved, warrant greater recognition in clinical practice, guidelines and future research.

Accessing and Receiving Speech-Language Pathology Services at the Multidisciplinary Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Clinic: An Exploratory Qualitative Study of Patient Experiences and Needs

PURPOSE

This study sought to explore how patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) presenting with coexisting bulbar and cognitive impairments and their caregivers experienced the speech-language pathologist (SLP) services provided in multidisciplinary ALS clinics in Canada and identified their perceived needs for bulbar symptom management.

METHOD

This qualitative study was informed by interpretive description. Seven interviews were conducted with patients with severe bulbar dysfunction or severe bulbar and cognitive dysfunction due to ALS or ALS-frontotemporal dementia, respectively, and/or their caregivers. Purposive sampling was used to recruit individuals with severe bulbar or bulbar and cognitive disease. Thematic analysis was used to analyze interview data.

RESULTS

Patients and caregivers reported difficulties with accessing and receiving SLP services at the multidisciplinary ALS clinic. These difficulties were further exacerbated in those with severe cognitive disease. Participants expressed a need for more specific (i.e., disease and service-related) information and personalized care to address their changing needs and preferences. Engaging caregivers earlier in SLP appointments was perceived as vital to support care planning and provide in-time caregiver education.

CONCLUSIONS

This study highlighted the challenges experienced by patients and caregivers in accessing and receiving SLP services. There is a pressing need for a more person-centered approach to ALS care and a continuing need for education of SLPs on care provision in cases of complex multisymptom diseases within a multidisciplinary ALS clinic.

SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.24069222.

Exploring amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients' experiences of psychological distress during the disease course in China: a qualitative study

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to explore the psychological distress course of Chinese amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients after the onset of the disease and to provide targeted nursing guidance.

DESIGN

The interview content was analysed qualitatively. We used seven steps of Colaizzi's method to analyse the participants' data.

SETTING

Wuhan, China, Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital.

PARTICIPANTS

A semistructured face-to-face interview were performed among 22 people with ALS from the motor neuron disease rehabilitation centre of a tertiary Chinese medicine hospital in China.

RESULT

This study included a total of 22 participants, from whom three main themes regarding the psychological distress trajectory of ALS patients were extracted from the interview data: 'Time begins to run out' include tormented and restless waiting and shock and doubt in ALS disease confirmation, 'Family out of control' include the burden of stigma and function loss, the burden of missing family roles, the burden of marriage's emotional needs and the burden of offspring health, 'Way forward' include struggle between live and death and struggle between quality of life and the value of life.

CONCLUSION

This study outlines the psychologically distressing journey of ALS patients. Studies have pointed out the need for targeted care to address patients' various sources of psychological distress to improve their quality of life and coping ability, increase their psychological resilience and reconstruct their life beliefs.

Perspectives of Young People with Neuromuscular Diseases Regarding Their Choice of Educational Programs and Possibilities to Complete Program Requirements

Young people with impaired functioning and/or disability do not receive as much education or as high an education as fully functioning young people, thus limiting their job opportunities. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate perspectives of young people with neuromuscular diseases regarding their choice of educational programs and possibilities to complete program requirements to gain knowledge for use in future counselling and the development of a national questionnaire survey. The design for this study was qualitative using the interpretive description methodology and Anthony Giddens' theory on modernity and self-identity. Data were generated through two focus group interviews with seven people between 18 and 30 years of age. Beginning and completing an education was influenced by the creation of identity: the importance of experiencing demands and expectations, the meaning of social relations when learning, and the consequences of accessibility for educational opportunities. The participants' sense of self-identity was built by testing boundaries and developing images through social relations with peers, parents, and teachers. How they acted and behaved in the social arena of school and education influenced their choices and chances of completing educational programs.

Negotiating the Beginning of Care: A Grounded Theory Study of Health Services for Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

A range of professional figures are needed to preserve the quality of life of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This study aimed to explore the beginning of the care process as negotiated by people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, their caregivers, and healthcare professionals. We designed the study according to the constructivist Grounded Theory method, collecting data through open-ended, semi-structured interviews, employing theoretical sampling and constant comparison, and performing conceptual coding as data analysis. By naming the core category "off-beat interfacing", we were able to show how the demands of the professionals concerned did not correspond to the ability of people with ALS and their proxies to process information, deal with requests, and be at ease in making decisions at the beginning of the shared care pathway. Three categories were generated: (i) navigating different paths, (ii) offering and experiencing a standard, non-personalized pathway, and (iii) anticipating decisions. The network of services must be organized according to guidelines, but must also contemplate a patient-family-centered approach that permits more personalized assistance.

Cross-sectorial collaboration on policy-driven rehabilitation care models for persons with neuromuscular diseases: reflections and behavior of community-based health professionals

Background

Persons with neuromuscular diseases (NMDs) often experience complex rehabilitation needs due to the disease’s impact on their functioning and progression of their diseases. As a consequence of legislation and “policy power”, community-based health professionals function as gatekeepers to the rehabilitation trajectory for persons with NMDs in a field where the other professionals are the specialists.

Aim

To investigate community-based health professionals’ reflections on and behaviors regarding collaboration with a tertiary rehabilitation hospital in a cross-sectorial rehabilitation care model with the overall aim of providing high quality rehabilitation for persons with NMD.

Methods

The design is qualitative and uses interpretive description methodology and the theoretical lens of Edgar Schein’s three levels of organizational culture and leadership.

An ethnographic fieldwork was conducted from September 1, 2019 to January 30, 2020. Eighty-four community-based health professionals were included and 17 of them were interviewed in four semi-structured focus group interviews (n = 10) and seven individual interviews (n = 7). In addition, 151 pages of observation data were generated. The study adheres to the COREQ guidelines.

Results

The analysis showed three themes of importance for the collaboration: Policy and legislation navigation represented that collaboration on rehabilitation was affected by legislation as a management tool with “the case” as the core element, and goal dilemmas. Cross-sectorial knowledge exchange promoted collaboration on coordinated and facilitated rehabilitation and knowledge sharing as a firm anchoring. Patient ownership negotiations implied collaboration was influenced by knowledge founded power and gatekeeping as a navigation tool.

Conclusion

Three levels of organizational culture and leadership were identified, and this overall structure guided the community-based health professionals in their work and in the complex organizational landscape of collaboration between disconnected healthcare systems. The findings provided insight into behavior and attitudes and the content and the values held by the professionals collaborating across sectors. Future collaboration in rehabilitation models should be multiprofessional and team based. The findings emphasize that it is imperative that managements and professionals strive to strengthen the structure of the collaborative team spirit because this will ensure well-planned, coordinated, and conducted rehabilitation for persons with NMD and enable and support future cross-sectorial collaboration in this rehabilitation model for these persons.

Perceptions of people with motor neurone disease, families and HSCPs: a literature review

Motor neurone disease or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a rapidly progressive terminal neurodegenerative condition caused by degeneration of the upper and lower motor neurones in the central nervous system of the brain. The effects of motor neurone disease are multifaceted, leading to many adjustments in everyday life. This literature review asked what the experiences of people living with motor neurone disease was before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in terms of their condition and the support they received from health and social care services. A key theme identified was lack of knowledge among professionals when they cared for people living with motor neurone disease and their families. This lack of knowledge often resulted in delayed diagnosis and poor standards of care. COVID-19 impacted on the care of people living with motor neurone disease and their families, and there is a paucity of evidence on how services were perceived by these groups during the COVID-19 pandemic. The experiences of people living with motor neurone disease and their families are currently missing in the literature. In conclusion, further studies are required to include care of people living with motor neurone disease and their families.

The diagnostic, therapeutic and assistance pathway for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in a north-eastern Italian region: satisfaction of patients and their caregivers

In order to evaluate the users' satisfaction degree for the diagnostic, therapeutic and assistance services for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in the Italian region Friuli-Venezia Giulia (FVG), a self-compiled anonymous multiple-choice questionnaire was administered to ALS patients and their caregivers. The questionnaire explored 41 different issues covering the following areas: (a) access to diagnostic pathway and communication among patients, families and health professionals; (b) quality of disease monitoring and effectiveness of interventions aimed at mitigating ALS symptoms; (c) easiness of access to assistive devices (e.g. wheelchair, ankle-foot-orthosis) and home assistance; (d) patient' choices sharing and health professionals empathy. The same issues were proposed both to patients and carers, appropriately adapting the questions, during the period between June and December 2019. The answers were categorised according to criticality level. Median with interquartile range of the numeric variables and percentages of the categorical variables and of the answers to questions were calculated. The mean percentage of satisfied users was 72.8%, considering all the areas. Pain treatment and easiness of access to ambulance transport were the most positive aspects (95.7% and 92.5% of satisfied respondents, respectively), while information about possible enrolment in clinical trials and about possible registration to the regional ALS association were the most critical issues (30.9% and 43.4% of satisfied users). Although the satisfaction level of ALS patients and their caregivers for the services provided resulted generally good, there were some areas that have to be improved. For this purpose, enhancement of multidisciplinary collaboration, sharing of points of view from users and different practitioners and rising awareness among healthcare professionals through clinical audits could be useful. Further research is needed to identify a wider range of users' unexplored unmet needs.

The Palliative Care Information Needs of Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and their Informal Caregivers: A Scoping Review

CONTEXT

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease, associated with impaired quality of life for patients and caregivers. As treatment is largely supportive, early involvement of palliative care (PC) is recommended as standard of care. Despite this, literature surrounding PC information needs is limited.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the PC information needs of patients with ALS and their caregivers and identify gaps in the literature.

METHODS

A scoping review using MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and PsycINFO databases (2000-2019) was conducted. Articles examining PC information needs as stated by ALS patients and/or current/bereaved caregivers were included. Studies examining other diagnoses and those focused on healthcare workers were excluded. Thematic synthesis was used to summarize and identify prevalent domains and themes in the literature.

RESULTS

581 articles underwent primary screening, with thirty-two ultimately included (26 original articles, six reviews). Fourteen examined information needs of both patients and caregivers, 13 caregivers only, 5 patients only. The most common PC information needs were as follows: for patients, disease course/prognosis (n = 10), general disease information (n = 9), decision-making (n = 7) and symptoms (n = 6); for caregivers, services and resources (n = 15), disease course/prognosis (n = 14), general disease information (n = 13) and skills (n = 10). There was substantial variability in information needs, both between patients and caregivers and among members of the same group.

CONCLUSION

ALS patients and caregivers have unique and varying PC information needs. Future research should better characterize these needs to improve patient and caregiver quality of life. The delivery of information must be tailored to individual patient or caregiver preferences.

Quality of life among relatives of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A prospective and longitudinal study

OBJECTIVE

Relatives are often central in caring for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), involving considerable physical, emotional, and social challenges. The aim of this study was to describe individual quality of life (iQoL) among relatives of patients with ALS, from diagnosis through disease progression.

METHOD

A total of 31 relatives were included. Data collection was performed at five time points: 1-3 months after their relatives had been diagnosed with ALS and every 6 months for 2 years. Quality of life was determined using the Schedule of Evaluation of Individual Quality of Life - Direct Weighting (SEIQoL-DW), emotional distress with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and the illness severity of the patients was determined with the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale (ALS FRS-R).

RESULTS

The SEIQoL-DW involves participants nominating the important life areas. The most nominated areas were family, friends, health, and leisure. Although most relatives had overall good and stable iQoL, several had scores indicating poor iQoL on some occasions during the disease trajectory. The relatives' iQoL correlated with emotional well-being and the patient's physical function at different time points.

SIGNIFICANT OF RESULT

Social relations, emotional well-being, and rapid decline in the patient's physical function influence the relatives' iQoL. Measuring both emotional well-being and iQoL, with a focus on the relatives' own descriptions of perceived iQoL and those factors contributing to their iQoL during the disease trajectory may improve the possibility of identifying and supporting those relatives with poor iQoL.

Healthcare Utilisation and Satisfaction with Care in Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis - An Observational Study

BACKGROUND

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) need a large amount of healthcare services. Knowledge on use of and satisfaction with healthcare is, however, scarce.

OBJECTIVE

The objectives were to explore use and satisfaction of healthcare in patients with ALS.

METHODS

The sample consisted of patients with ALS, recruited from the ALS clinic at the Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden, participating in a three-year observational study. Data on healthcare utilisation were retrieved from the computerised register at Region Stockholm, Sweden. Information regarding disability, contextual factors and satisfaction with care was collected by home visits.

RESULTS

Over time, half, or less of the patients used inpatient care, whereas all used outpatient care. Half of all outpatient contacts were with providers of advanced healthcare in the home and one-fifth with allied health professionals. Nurses performing home visits composed the largest proportion of outpatient contacts. A small amount of the utilised outpatient care emerged from the ALS clinic. Patients with severe disease and longer time since diagnosis had fewer contacts with the ALS clinic. Satisfaction with care was in general stable over time with around two-thirds or more of patients being satisfied. Most patients wanted to participate in care planning, but few had.

CONCLUSION

Patients with ALS use hospital-based specialist care and other outpatient care in parallel with many healthcare providers involved. Our findings highlight the need for implementation of person-centred care to improve both coordination of care, care transitions and satisfaction with healthcare services.

Psychometric properties of the Korean version of the positive aspects of caregiving scale for family caregivers of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Objective

Many caregivers report finding positive meanings in their caregiving roles and activities. The positive aspects of caregiving (PAC) scale was designed to measure positive appraisals of caregiving. This study assessed the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the PAC for family caregivers of people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Method

The instrument's content and semantic equivalence were established using translation and back translation of the PAC. A convenience sample of 127 family caregivers of patients with ALS in Korea was recruited. Content, construct, and convergent validity of the Korean PAC were evaluated. Cronbach's α was used to assess reliability. This study used secondary data; the primary study received approval from the Institutional Review Board of H Hospital, from where data were collected. The consent forms did not mention the future use of data. Therefore, we have applied for approval regarding this study's protocol and exemption from informed consent.

Results

The Cronbach's α was 0.92, and internal consistency was acceptable. Exploratory factor analysis supported the construct validity with a two-factor solution explaining 74.73% of the total variance. Regarding convergent validity, the Korean PAC score negatively correlated with caregiver burden and depression and positively with self-rated health status. We were unable to evaluate the suitability of the suggested structural dimensionality through confirmatory factor analysis. Furthermore, as we used secondary data, we could not assess retest reliability for the evaluation of the scale's stability.

Significance of results

The Korean PAC was found to be an applicable instrument with satisfactory reliability and validity and suitable for further use as a measure for positive appraisals of caregiving for family caregivers of people with ALS. It may be effective for measuring caregivers’ psychological resources.

Giving and receiving a diagnosis of a progressive neurological condition: A scoping review of doctors' and patients' perspectives

OBJECTIVE

Delivering a life changing diagnosis can be a distressing experience for patients and a challenging task for professionals. Diagnosis delivery can be especially difficult for individuals with neurodegenerative diseases such as motor neurone disease (MND), multiple sclerosis (MS) and Parkinson's disease (PD). This review aims to scope the literature on doctors' and patients' perspectives on diagnosis delivery for these conditions in order to enhance our understanding in this area and identify potential research gaps.

METHODS

A scoping review methodology was used, and data were summarised using content analysis.

RESULTS

47 studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Studies showed that although patients were generally satisfied with diagnosis delivery, a considerable proportion was still dissatisfied with aspects of the consultation, especially the information and time provided and the doctor's approach. Only six studies addressed doctors' perspectives, which focused more on doctors' practice.

CONCLUSION

There was a significant research gap in professionals' perspectives. The review also found that although basic standards of good practice were being met, a significant proportion of patients were dissatisfied with diagnosis communication.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Professionals delivering such diagnoses need to assess and respond to patients' information needs, provide time for questions and maintain an empathic attitude.

Needs and preferences for psychological interventions of people with motor neuron disease

Background: There is a lack of knowledge about what factors may impede or facilitate engagement in psychological interventions in people with motor neuron disease (pwMND) and how such interventions can be adapted to best meet the needs of this population. Objectives: To explore the needs and preferences of pwMND with respect to psychological interventions, and how best to adapt such interventions for pwMND. Methods: A series of semi-structured interviews (n = 22) and workshops (n = 3) were conducted with pwMND (n = 15), informal caregivers of pwMND (n = 10), and MND healthcare professionals (n = 12). These explored preferences and concerns that would need to be considered when delivering a psychological intervention for pwMND. Three areas were explored: (i) perceived factors that may hinder or facilitate pwMND engaging with psychological interventions; (ii) ways in which such interventions could be adapted to meet the individual needs of pwMND; and (iii) views regarding the main psychological issues that would need to be addressed. Workshops and interviews were audio recorded and transcribed and thematic analysis was used to inductively derive themes. Findings: Data could be classified within four overarching themes: unfamiliar territory; a series of losses; variability and difficulty meeting individual needs; and informal support. Conclusions: Flexibility, tailoring interventions to the individual needs of pwMND, and encouraging autonomy are key attributes for psychological interventions with pwMND. Psychological interventions such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) could be acceptable for pwMND if adapted to their specific needs.

'Staying strong on the inside and outside' to keep walking and moving around: Perspectives from Aboriginal people with Machado Joseph Disease and their families from the Groote Eylandt Archipelago, Australia

Machado Joseph Disease (MJD) (spinocerebellar ataxia 3) is a hereditary neurodegenerative disease causing progressive ataxia and loss of mobility. It is the most common spinocerebellar ataxia worldwide. Among Aboriginal families of Groote Eylandt and related communities across Australia's Top End, MJD is estimated to be more prevalent than anywhere else in the world. This study explored lived experiences of individuals and families with MJD to determine what is important and what works best to keep walking and moving around. A collaborative qualitative exploratory study, drawing from constructivist grounded theory methods, was undertaken for data collection and analysis. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with individuals with MJD (n = 8) and their family members (n = 4) from the Groote Eylandt Archipelago where ~1500 Aboriginal people (Warnumamalya) live. Interviews were led by Warnumamalya community research partners in participants' preferred language(s). Participants described their experience of living with MJD, from 'knowing about MJD', 'protecting yourself from MJD' and 'adjusting to life with MJD'. While the specific importance of walking and moving around differed widely between participants, all perceived that walking and moving around enabled them to do what mattered most to them in life. 'Staying strong on the inside and outside' (physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually) was perceived to work best to keep walking and moving around as long as possible. A framework that included personal and environmental strategies for staying strong emerged: 'Exercising your body', 'having something important to do', 'keeping yourself happy', 'searching for good medicine', 'families helping each other' and 'going country'. This study, the first to explore lived experiences of MJD in Australia, highlights the importance of maintaining mobility as long as possible. Strategies perceived to work best address physical and psychosocial needs in an integrated manner. Services supporting families with MJD need flexibility to provide individualised, responsive and holistic care.

Alleviation of Psychological Distress and the Improvement of Quality of Life in Patients With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Adaptation of a Short-Term Psychotherapeutic Intervention

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that is inevitably fatal. To be diagnosed with a terminal illness such as ALS deeply affects one’s personal existence and goes along with significant changes regarding the physical, emotional, and social domains of the patients’ life. ALS patients have to face a rapidly debilitating physical decline which restrains mobility and impairs all activities of daily living. This progressive loss of autonomy may lead to a sense of hopelessness and loss of quality of life, which in turn may even result in thoughts about physician-assisted suicide. Here, we would like to propose a psychotherapeutic manualized, individual, semi-structured intervention to relieve distress and promote psychological well-being in ALS patients. This short-term intervention was originally developed for advanced cancer patients. “Managing Cancer and Living Meaningfully (CALM)” focuses on the four dimensions: (i) symptom management and communication with healthcare providers, (ii) changes in self and relations with close others, (iii) spirituality, sense of meaning and purpose and (iv) thinking of the future, hope, and mortality. We suggest to supplement the concept by two additional dimensions which take into account specific issues of ALS patients: (v) communication skills, and (vi) emotional expression and control. This therapeutic concept named “ManagIng Burden in ALS and Living Meaningfully (mi-BALM)” may be a further treatment option to help improving quality of life of ALS patients.

Supportive care needs of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease and their caregivers: A scoping review

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To identify the supportive care needs of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease patients and their caregivers, categorise and summarise them into a Supportive Care Needs Framework and identify gaps in literature.

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the supportive care needs of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease patients and their caregivers, and this subject has not previously been systemically reviewed.

DESIGN

Scoping review.

METHODS

We conducted a scoping review from the MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL and Cochrane databases for the period January 2000-July 2016, using the following inclusion criteria: (i) written in English only, (ii) published in peer-reviewed journals, (iii) at least part of the research considered the supportive care needs perspective of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease patients or their caregivers and (iv) the population sample included patients of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease or their caregivers.

RESULTS

Thirty-seven articles were included. Our review shows that amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease patients and their caregivers' supportive care needs were mentioned across all seven domains of the Supportive Care Needs Framework. Most common were practical needs (n = 24), followed by Informational needs (n = 19), Social needs (n = 18), Psychological needs (n = 16), Physical needs (n = 15), Emotional needs (n = 13) and Spiritual needs (n = 8).

CONCLUSION

From the perspectives of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease patients and their caregivers, there is a significant need for more practical, social, informational, psychological, physical, emotional and spiritual support.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

The Supportive Care Needs Framework has potential utility in the development of patient-centred support services or healthcare policies and serves as an important base for further studies; especially, specific examples of each supportive care needs domain can guide in clinical settings when healthcare professionals provide multidisciplinary care to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis/motor neuron disease patients and individualised care.

Healthcare Needs of Patients with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) in Singapore: A patient-centred qualitative study from multiple perspectives

Background

One challenge for those who manage amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is to understand patients’ needs.

Aim

The aim of this study was to examine the needs of Singapore ALS patients from their perspective as well as that of their caregivers and healthcare professionals in order to develop a template for better services.

Methods

A cross-sectional qualitative study was conducted, with one-to-one interviews and focus group discussions.

Results

All 30 participants, key stakeholders in the field of caring for ALS patients, identified these needs categories: psychological – diagnosis must be staged and comfortably paced, and efforts must be made to encourage patients’ resilience; social – positive relationships, open communication, and spiritual support must be developed; physical – attention should be paid to alleviating discomfort and disability; and environmental -appropriate services should be made available.

Conclusion

The identified needs categories do overlap, but there are significant differences. Our findings provide a template for developing individualized patient services, which should be done within the framework of a comprehensive palliative care program.

An Investigation of Perspectives of Respite Admission Among People Living With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and the Hospitals That Support Them

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive disease with rapid degeneration. Respite care is an essential service for improving the well-being of both patients with this disease and their family caregivers, but accessibility of respite services is limited. This study investigates perspectives on respite admission among people living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and the hospitals supporting them. Method: We conducted semistructured interviews among 3 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and 12 family members, exploring demographic information and their awareness and experience of respite admission. We also interviewed 16 representatives from hospitals about awareness of and preparation for respite admission for patients with this disease, the role of regional networks for intractable diseases, and knowledge about communication support schemes. Results: We found significant differences in the revised Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale between patients who had and had not received respite admission. Qualitative analysis of the data indicated that respite admission was a contributory factor in continuing and stabilizing home care. Limited provision of social services and hospital care quality were barriers to respite admission. Conclusion: Respite admission was essential to continued home care for patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Severe-stage patients were eligible for respite admission. Its accessibility, however, was limited, especially for patients living in rural areas. Supporting hospitals had limited capacity to respond to patients’ needs. Individualized care and communication were internal barriers to respite admission.

Healthcare professionals' accounts of challenges in managing motor neurone disease in primary healthcare: a qualitative study

Motor neurone disease (MND) is a progressive neurological disease causing muscle wasting, gradual paralysis and respiratory failure, with a life expectancy of 2-4 years. In order to better understand how MND is managed in the community, we conducted a qualitative study to explore the challenges healthcare professionals encounter when managing MND in primary healthcare. Based on data from 15 semi-structured interviews with primary healthcare professionals in Norway, we found that MND is viewed as a condition that requires exceptional effort and detailed planning. Healthcare professionals reported five main challenges in managing MND in primary healthcare: (i) building relationships with those giving and receiving care in the home; (ii) preventing caregiver burnout and breakdown; (iii) providing tailored care; (iv) ensuring good working conditions in patients' homes; and (v) recruiting and retaining qualified nursing assistants. Healthcare professionals reported needing working conditions that allow them to tailor their approach to the personal, emotional and existential nature of care preferences of those living with MND. However, people with MND and their families were sometimes perceived by healthcare professionals to prefer a strictly task-focused relationship with care providers. Such relationships limited the healthcare professionals' control over the MND trajectory and their capacity to prevent family caregiver burnout and breakdown. Adequate resources, along with training and support of nursing assistants, may increase the continuity of nursing assistants. Responsiveness to patient and family needs may enhance collaboration and promote tailored primary care and support for patients with MND and their families.

Occupational Disruption: Living with Motor Neurone Disease

Little is known of the day-to-day experience of living with motor neurone disease from the perspective of those who have it, apart from what can be found in personal accounts such as those published on web pages. In this study, which was informed by phenomenology, seven people living in an urban setting in New Zealand were asked to describe their experiences.

This report focuses on the study findings that related specifically to disruption to occupation. It describes how early changes in occupational performance alerted the participants to the fact that something was wrong. The findings also showed the pervasive impact of an awkward and unreliable body on participation in occupations that gave meaning to life, expressed identity and filled time. Issues of how the family's world was changed, the introduction of assistive devices into their homes and the betrayal of trust were also powerfully evident in participants' stories.

Although the findings are broadly consistent with those of previous studies, the disruption to occupation and the consequent role losses are new findings. Further research into the impact of the loss of participation in occupation, the ways in which people are perceived when occupations are disrupted and the experience of having occupations taken away prematurely is recommended.

What are the Care Needs for People with Motor Neurone Disease and How Can Occupational Therapists Respond to Meet These Needs?

Motor neurone disease is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder and from disease onset health care intervention is palliative in nature. Numerous studies on wellbeing in motor neurone disease are consistent with the palliative care literature, where the values assigned to non-physical life domains increase with disease progression. Occupational therapists should consider all components of wellbeing for people with motor neurone disease and not physical disability alone. A better understanding of motor neurone disease and an awareness of the service needs important to this client group are necessary to improve the quality of care and to assist occupational therapists in meeting care needs.

Development and use of new therapeutics for rare diseases: views from patients, caregivers, and advocates

BACKGROUND

Patients with rare diseases experience the health care system differently than patients with more common conditions. They can therefore provide important perspectives on the process of developing therapeutics for their conditions.

METHODS

We conducted three in-person focus groups involving rare disease patients (n = 9), caregivers (n = 8), and advocates (n = 9). Focus group participants were asked to describe their experiences with a rare disease, what they would want to know about a new drug for the disease, what outcomes they believe should be assessed in drug testing, perceptions of off-label use of a drug for treating a rare disease, views on participation in clinical trials, and opinions of the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA's) function. The coding structure was populated from the transcripts of the sessions, using Atlas.ti qualitative analysis software, and then analyzed for common themes.

RESULTS

Participants described the challenges of learning to live with a poorly understood condition for which treatment is limited. Rare disease patients were willing to accept certain risks in their care in the hopes of finding some benefit, but also expressed frustrations with the costs of their care and the lack of scientific data about their treatments. They were concerned that the development and testing of therapies should, as quickly as possible, yield effective treatments to advance their quality of life.

CONCLUSION

With limited therapeutic options, rare disease patients often considered off-label treatments or novel drugs that posed substantial risk. Nonetheless, rare disease patients generally appreciated the rigor of the research underlying the drugs and supported the FDA's gatekeeping role.

Existential concerns for people with motor neurone disease: Who is listening to their needs, priorities and preferences?

People living with motor neurone disease are told at the time of their diagnosis that they have a life-limiting illness, and depending on the type of motor neurone disease diagnosed they may have only months or years to live. The Motor Neurone Disease Association practice guidelines recommend that multidisciplinary health and social care professionals should focus upon psychological, functional and medical management. A referral to the palliative care team is recommended as the disease progresses, if a person experiences a loss of speech or respiratory insufficiency. People living with motor neurone disease have existential concerns from the time of their diagnosis. Valuable opportunities may be lost to discuss and document their needs, priorities and preferences for end-of-life care before a person loses their ability to communicate by any means. Occupational therapists working as a member of a multidisciplinary team have an important role to play in this area of practice, as people newly diagnosed with motor neurone disease are often referred to occupational therapy services because of their loss of function.

Lived-through past, experienced present, anticipated future: Understanding "existential loss" in the context of life-limiting illness

OBJECTIVE

Motor Neurone Disease (MND) is a rare, devastating neurodegenerative disease of middle/later life, usually presenting in the sixth and seventh decades (McDermot & Shaw, 2008). People have to wait many months to receive a diagnosis of MND (Donaghy et al., 2008), and during this period they have already experienced the degenerative nature that characterizes MND (Bolmsjö, 2001). However, information on the meaning of life with MND through time is limited. The aim of the present research was to answer the research question "What does it mean to be a person living through the illness trajectory of MND?" and to research the phenomenon of existence when given a diagnosis of MND and in the context of receiving healthcare.

METHOD

Hermeneutic phenomenology, inspired by the philosophers Heidegger and Gadamer, informed the methodological approach employed, which asked people to tell their story from when they first thought something untoward was happening to them. The hermeneutic analysis involved a five-stage process in order to understand (interpret) the lifeworld 1 of four people diagnosed with MND, and a lifeworld perspective helped to make sense of the meaning of existence when given a terminal diagnosis of MND.

RESULTS

The concept of "existential loss" identified in relation to MND was the loss of past ways of being-in-the-world, and the loss of embodiment, spatiality, and the future.

SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS

The concept of existential loss requires closer attention by healthcare professionals from the time of diagnosis and on through the illness trajectory. The study findings are conceptualized into a framework, which when used as a clinical tool may prompt healthcare professionals to focus on their patients' existential loss and existential concerns. This research adds to the existing literature calling for a lifeworld approach to healthcare.

Patients experiences of maintaining mental well-being and hope within motor neuron disease: a thematic synthesis

Research is required that can synthesize the experiences of patients with Motor Neuron Disease (MND). One value of being able to do this is to understand the psychological experiences and processes involved in maintaining mental well-being and hope. A qualitative thematic synthesis of studies was undertaken. Studies were electronically searched from inception until June 2014. Twenty-nine studies with 342 (175 male) unique individuals with MND were identified. Five themes were identified: (1)The effects of the disease on interactions, relationships, roles and meaningful activities, (2) Responses that relate to the expression of hope, (3) Factors which disable hope, (4) Factors which enable hope, and (5) Cognitive and Practical adaptation that enabled hope, control and coping. Finally, a model of hope enablement was identified that considers the psychological pathways undertaken by a patient which influence mental well-being and hope. Within this review article evidence is provided which illustrates the central importance of relationships and social support for individuals with MND. Further, it has been identified that periods of coping are possible and are likely associated with greater mental well-being for patients with MND.

Unmet health and rehabilitation needs of people with long-term neurological conditions in Queensland, Australia

The survival and life expectancy rates of people with traumatic and degenerative neurological conditions are increasing, sometimes up to several decades. Yet compared to the general population, people with a disability continue to experience poorer health and are at greater risk of developing secondary health problems and facing barriers to services they require. These trends have significant implications for provision of health and rehabilitation services. In this study, the adequacy of health and rehabilitation services provided to people with long-term neurological conditions and their unmet needs were explored from the perspectives of individual users, their nominated family members and key service providers. A qualitative research design with maximum variation sampling was used. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with 65 participants comprising 25 long-term care service users, nominated family members or friends (n = 22) and care service providers (n = 18) in Queensland, Australia. All service users needed assistance with usual daily activities, and 22 were wheelchair dependent. The hours of funded personal care ranged from 2 to 201 hours per week. Data were analysed using framework analysis. Participants generally perceived that specialist medical and hospital services were adequate and satisfactory. They valued supportive health and rehabilitation professionals and receiving client-centred physical rehabilitation. However, the majority of participants (n = 17) had perceived unmet needs for physical rehabilitation (n = 14), other health or rehabilitation services (n = 10) or counselling (n = 6). Community-based physical maintenance rehabilitation was often perceived as inadequate, costly or inconveniently located. Participants highlighted the importance of personal and family counselling and information provision at time points such as diagnosis. The findings contribute to the limited international evidence on the gaps in health and rehabilitation services for people with neurological conditions receiving lifetime care services in the community. A continuum of integrated rehabilitation services to minimise avoidable impairments, optimise independence and functioning, and sustain quality of life is warranted.

The challenges of uncertainty and interprofessional collaboration in palliative care for non-cancer patients in the community: a systematic review of views from patients, carers and health-care professionals

BACKGROUND

Primary care has the potential to play significant roles in providing effective palliative care for non-cancer patients.

AIM

To identify, critically appraise and synthesise the existing evidence on views on the provision of palliative care for non-cancer patients by primary care providers and reveal any gaps in the evidence.

DESIGN

Standard systematic review and narrative synthesis.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Applied Social Science Abstract and the Cochrane library were searched in 2012. Reference searching, hand searching, expert consultations and grey literature searches complemented these. Papers with the views of patients/carers or professionals on primary palliative care provision to non-cancer patients in the community were included. The amended Hawker's criteria were used for quality assessment of included studies.

RESULTS

A total of 30 studies were included and represent the views of 719 patients, 605 carers and over 400 professionals. In all, 27 studies are from the United Kingdom. Patients and carers expect primary care physicians to provide compassionate care, have appropriate knowledge and play central roles in providing care. The roles of professionals are unclear to patients, carers and professionals themselves. Uncertainty of illness trajectory and lack of collaboration between health-care professionals were identified as barriers to effective care.

CONCLUSIONS

Effective interprofessional work to deal with uncertainty and maintain coordinated care is needed for better palliative care provision to non-cancer patients in the community. Research into and development of a best model for effective interdisciplinary work are needed.

Understanding psycho-social processes underpinning engagement with services in motor neurone disease: a qualitative study

BACKGROUND

People with motor neurone disease access healthcare services from disease onset to end-of-life care, but there has been paucity of research on how people with motor neurone disease understand and use healthcare services.

AIM

To identify key psycho-social processes that underpin how people with motor neurone disease engage with healthcare services.

DESIGN

Grounded theory approach comprising in-depth qualitative interviews was used in this study. Data were collected and analysed using open, axial and selective coding procedures.

SETTING/PARTICIPANTS

A total of 34 people with motor neurone disease were recruited from the Irish motor neurone disease population-based register.

RESULTS

We identified that control, reassurance, resignation and trust are key variables that shape how people with motor neurone disease engage with healthcare services. Participants exerted control in care to cope with loss. Most participants were resigned to death and sought reassurances from healthcare professionals about end-of-life care. Participants questioned the benefit of life-sustaining interventions in motor neurone disease and few of them associated life-sustaining interventions with palliative care. Participants trusted healthcare professionals who reassured them about their care and who were attuned to how they were coming to terms with loss.

CONCLUSION

This study identified new and important aspects of control, trust and reassurance which shed light on how people with motor neurone disease engage with healthcare professionals and approach end-of-life care. People with motor neurone disease exert control in care and meaningful relationships with healthcare professionals are important to them. Some people with motor neurone disease prefer to die without life-sustaining interventions.

Family carer perspectives of acute hospital care following a diagnosis of motor neuron disease: a qualitative secondary analysis

OBJECTIVES

The multifaceted nature of the problems faced by someone with motor neuron disease requires a knowledgeable multidisciplinary team approach. Where available, generally, such services are only provided on an outpatient basis, meaning that hospitalised patients are frequently admitted to non-specialist wards where understanding of their needs is limited. Little is known regarding the inpatient care received by patients. Our objective was to address this by exploring the experience of hospitalisation following a diagnosis of motor neuron disease from the perspective of family carers of those diagnosed with the illness.

METHOD

This was a qualitative secondary analysis of pre-existing data from two previously published, separately conducted, qualitative studies. The study involved interview data from 18 bereaved carers and 3 current carers of family members diagnosed with motor neuron disease in Northwest England.

RESULTS

The findings reveal dissatisfaction with the inpatient care received, which impacted negatively not only on patient and carer enthusiasm for future hospital admissions but also on carer bereavement.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with motor neuron disease have specialist needs that are not always met during hospital admission, particularly to non-specialist units. The inpatient care provided for these patients must be improved as must the knowledge and understanding of the illness among healthcare professionals who treat them.

Acceptance and decision making in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis from a life-course perspective

Researchers have explored perceptions of health care services among people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), but little is known about how and why people with ALS engage with services. We undertook a grounded theory study to identify key psychosocial processes that underpin how and why people with ALS engage with health care services. We conducted in-depth interviews with 34 participants sampled from the Irish ALS population-based register. We found that age and life stage shaped participants' decision making about care. Participants in later life were more accepting of ALS and of death than young and middle-aged participants. Family was the primary context to how participants engaged with services, and their decisions about care were shaped by parenthood at different life stages. Health care professionals need to be attuned to the impact of life-course trajectories and family relations on the decisions people with ALS make about their care.

Exerting control and adapting to loss in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

People with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) engage with a broad range of health care services from symptom onset to end-of-life care. We undertook a grounded theory study to identify processes that underpin how and why people with ALS engage with health care services. Using theoretical sampling procedures, we sampled 34 people from the Irish ALS population-based register during September 2011 to August 2012. We conducted in-depth interviews with participants about their experiences of health care services. Our study yielded new insights into how people with ALS engage with services and adapt to loss. People with ALS live with insurmountable loss and never regain what they have already lost. Loss for people with ALS is multidimensional and includes loss of control. The experience of loss of control prompts people with ALS to search for control over health care services but exerting control in health care services can also include rendering control to service providers. People with ALS negotiate loss by exerting control over and rendering control to health care services. Our findings are important for future research that is attuned to how people with terminal illness exert control in health care services and make decisions about care in the context of mounting loss.

Physiologically based pharmacokinetic models for the optimization of antiretroviral therapy: recent progress and future perspective

Anti-HIV therapy is characterized by the chronic administration of antiretrovirals (ARVs), and consequently, several problems can arise during the management of HIV-positive patients. ARV disposition can be simulated by combining system data describing a population of patients and in vitro drug data through physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models, which mathematically describe absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination. PBPK modeling can find application in the investigation of clinically relevant scenarios, while providing the opportunity for a better understanding of the mechanisms regulating drug distribution. In this review, we have analyzed the most recent applications of PBPK models for ARVs and highlighted some of the most interesting areas of use, such as drug–drug interaction, pharmacogenetics, factors regulating absorption and tissue penetration, as well as therapy optimization in special populations. The application of the PBPK modeling approach might not be limited to the investigation of hypothetical clinical issues, but could be used to inform future prospective clinical trials.

A 10-year literature review of family caregiving for motor neurone disease: moving from caregiver burden studies to palliative care interventions

BACKGROUND

There is growing awareness that different terminal diseases translate into different family caregiver experiences, and the palliative and supportive care needs of these families are both similar and unique. Family members caring for people with motor neurone disease may experience exceptional strain due to the usually rapid and progressive nature of this terminal illness.

AIM

The purpose of this review is to synthesize contemporary research and provide a comprehensive summary of findings relevant to motor neurone disease family caregivers, as well as highlight some of the suggested interventions to alleviate burden and improve quality of life for this group.

DESIGN

We conducted a comprehensive review of empirical research on family caregiving for people with motor neurone disease in peer-reviewed journals published in English, January 2000-April 2011. Fifty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria.

RESULTS

This comprehensive literature review was consistent with previous research documenting the substantial burden and distress experienced by motor neurone disease family caregivers and revealed important points in the trajectory of care that have the potential for negative effects. The diagnosis experience, assisted ventilation, cognitive changes and end-of-life decision making create challenges within a short time. This review has also implicated the need for improvements in access to palliative care services and highlighted the absence of interventions to improve care.

CONCLUSIONS

Caregiver burden and quality-of-life studies on motor neurone disease family caregivers have so far dominated the research landscape .The focus needs to be on developing interventions that provide direct practical and psychosocial supports for motor neurone disease family caregivers.

Challenging nurses' cultural competence of disability to improve interpersonal interactions

Worldwide, at least 6.9 billion people have an impairment-producing health condition. Insensitive encounters with healthcare providers (HCPs) can result in negative appraisals, fear, and avoidance, but little is known about what things are commonly perceived as insensitive. A review of published narratives describing negative encounters with HCPs was conducted. Narrative analysis was used to compare, contrast, and synthesize six themes describing the common negative encounters: (a) ignoring or minimizing their knowledge, (b) detached interpersonal interactions, (c) placing a negative skew on their life quality, (d) lack of HCP knowledge related to their complete needs, (e) assuming they should be asexual and childless, and (f) an inherent power differential. The medical model of disability is perceived by individuals with impairment-producing health conditions to inform negative encounters perceived as insensitive. This preliminary knowledge is important so we can address educational needs, plan future research questions, and establish clinical practice improvements.

Implementation and evaluation of an education program to guide palliative care for people with motor neurone disease

BACKGROUND

Despite a recognized need for a palliative approach to caring for people with motor neurone disease (MND), access to palliative care is often limited.

AIM

This project aimed to improve the knowledge of health professionals about a palliative approach to MND care.

DESIGN

A three-phase study was undertaken to develop, implement and evaluate an education program for health professionals that promoted a palliative approach to MND care. This paper discusses the second and third phases: the implementation and evaluation of the project. Education workshops were held for health professionals. Their knowledge of palliative care was measured before and after the workshops and one month later. Attitudes to providing MND care were also measured.

SETTING

Workshops were held in South Australia and Western Australia. Participants were health professionals working in the areas of MND care or palliative care. Some aged care and generalist health professionals were included if they had a role in providing care to people with MND.

RESULTS

The participants demonstrated an improvement in MND knowledge (χ(2) = 64.13(2), p = 0.000) and palliative care knowledge (χ(2) = 17.24(2), p = 0.000); both were sustained at one month. Attitudes to providing MND care also improved (χ(2) = 11.85(2), p = 0.003) and were maintained at the six-month follow-up. Participants indicated that the knowledge gained positively influenced their clinical practice.

CONCLUSIONS

A targeted education program for health professionals improved understanding about end-of-life care for people with MND. Health care providers also reported having made improvements in the care provided to patients and carers, particularly communication, psychosocial care and symptom management.

Recognition by family members that relatives with neurodegenerative disease are likely to die within a year: a meta-ethnography

OBJECTIVE

To synthesize evidence of family members recognizing that their relative is likely to die within the year, and identifying the need for palliative care.

DESIGN

A meta-ethnography of studies of family members in multiple sclerosis (MS), Parkinson's disease (PD) and motor neuron disease (MND).

REVIEW METHODS

Systematic search in electronic databases; thematic synthesis guided by the principles of meta-ethnography, which is a method for thematic synthesis of qualitative studies.

RESULTS

Nine articles were included. The results of the synthesis identified two key themes. First, family members are intimately aware of changes in their relative's health and well-being. Sub-themes include family member awareness of different and progressive stages of the disease, noticing deterioration, noticing decline in functional abilities and recognizing that their relative will die. The second key theme is dilemmas of being involved in prognostication. Sub-themes include family member ambivalence toward hearing about prognostication, health professionals not being knowledgeable of the disease and family reluctance to receive palliative care.

CONCLUSIONS

Family members monitor and recognize changes in their relative with PD, MND and MS and in themselves. Thus, drawing on the expertise of family members may be a useful tool for prognostication.

Social services homecare for people with motor neurone disease/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: why are such services used or refused?

Many patients with the terminal condition motor neurone disease/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (MND/ALS) do not access social service homecare, which may have implications for the location of end-of-life care. We aimed to identify factors related to uptake of such care in MND/ALS. A case note review of patients at a UK MND/ALS clinic (N = 97) provided data concerning disease onset and severity, demographic variables and care received. Narrative interviews with people with MND/ALS (N = 24) and family carers (N = 18) explored their perspectives on social services homecare. Quantitative analyses highlighted the role of increasing disease severity and age for social services homecare uptake. However, qualitative findings revealed a number of barriers delaying the uptake of such care. 'Internal' issues focused on retaining control and normality within the home. 'External' issues arose from limited understanding of the disease amongst service providers and lack of awareness of service entitlement amongst patients and carers. Multiple factors are implicated in the uptake of social services homecare. Uncertainties surrounding service entitlement must be addressed, including the simplification of bureaucratic procedures and clarification of the roles of health and social care professionals. Service providers need a greater awareness of the nature of the disease and their role in its management.

What influences patient decision-making in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis multidisciplinary care? A study of patient perspectives

BACKGROUND

Patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are required to make decisions concerning quality of life and symptom management over the course of their disease. Clinicians perceive that patients' ability to engage in timely decision-making is extremely challenging. However, we lack patient perspectives on this issue. This study aimed to explore patient experiences of ALS, and to identify factors influencing their decision-making in the specialized multidisciplinary care of ALS.

METHODS

An exploratory study was conducted. Fourteen patients from two specialized ALS multidisciplinary clinics participated in semistructured interviews that were audio recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed for emergent themes.

RESULTS

Decision-making was influenced by three levels of factors, ie, structural, interactional, and personal. The structural factor was the decision-making environment of specialized multidisciplinary ALS clinics, which supported decision-making by providing patients with disease-specific information and specialized care planning. Interactional factors were the patient experiences of ALS, including patients' reaction to the diagnosis, response to deterioration, and engagement with the multidisciplinary ALS team. Personal factors were patients' personal philosophies, including their outlook on life, perceptions of control, and planning for the future. Patient approaches to decision-making reflected a focus on the present, rather than anticipating future progression of the disease and potential care needs.

CONCLUSION

Decision-making for symptom management and quality of life in ALS care is enhanced when the patient's personal philosophy is supported by collaborative relationships between the patient and the multidisciplinary ALS team. Patients valued the support provided by the multidisciplinary team; however, their focus on living in the present diverged from the efforts of health professionals to prepare patients and their carers for the future. The challenge facing health professionals is how best to engage each patient in decision-making for their future needs, to bridge this gap.