Ethical issues in end of life treatments for patients with dementia

Developing the CARE intervention to enhance ethical self-efficacy in dementia care through the use of literary texts

BACKGROUND

Dementia care is essential to promote the well-being of patients but remains a difficult task prone to ethical issues. These issues include questions like whether manipulating a person with dementia is ethically permissible if it promotes her best interest or how to engage with a person who is unwilling to recognize that she has dementia. To help people living with dementia and their carers manage ethical issues in dementia care, we developed the CARE intervention. This is an intervention focused on promoting the ethical self-efficacy of people living with dementia and carers, i.e., their confidence that they can manage ethical issues when they occur. The purpose of this paper is to explain and discuss how we have developed the CARE intervention to promote the ethical self-efficacy of people living with dementia, their family, and professional carers through a specific and, we believe, new use of literary texts.

METHODS

The CARE intervention has been developed in two phases: First, we conducted a needs assessment of the occurrence of ethical issues in dementia care and the need for an intervention to support people living with dementia and their carers in managing such issues. Second, in a design phase, we developed the CARE intervention to meet identified needs.

RESULTS

To address identified ethical issues in dementia care we designed the CARE intervention as a workshop format where people living with dementia and carers can meet, discuss literary texts, and deliberate on how to solve such issues. The workshop is structured by the following elements: An agenda of ethical issues, a collection of literary cases exemplifying ethical issues, a moderator with an understanding of dementia care, and an overview of the ethical principles relevant to the discussion of ethical issues. >This workshop concept is operationalized in three applications tailored to meet the specific ethical issues of each of the study´s three target groups: people living with dementia and family carers, professional and family carers, and professional carers.

CONCLUSION

We conclude the paper by stating that it is possible to develop an intervention that promotes the ethical self-efficacy of people living with dementia and family and professional carers.

Management in severe dementia: recommendations of the Scientific Department of Cognitive Neurology and Aging of the Brazilian Academy of Neurology

ABSTRACT Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative dementias have a progressive course, impairing cognition, functional capacity, and behavior. Most studies have focused on AD. Severe dementia is associated with increased age, higher morbidity-mortality, and rising costs of care. It is fundamental to recognize that severe dementia is the longest period of progression, with patients living for many years in this stage. It is the most heterogeneous phase in the process, with different abilities and life expectancies. This practice guideline focuses on severe dementia to improve management and care in this stage of dementia. As it is a long period in the continuum of dementia, clinical practice should consider non-pharmacological and pharmacological approaches. Multidisciplinary interventions (physical therapy, speech therapy, nutrition, nursing, and others) are essential, besides educational and support to caregivers.

Manejo das demências em fase avançada: recomendações do Departamento Científico de Neurologia Cognitiva e do Envelhecimento da Academia Brasileira de Neurologia

RESUMO A doença de Alzheimer (DA) e outras demências neurodegenerativas têm um curso progressivo com comprometimento da cognição, capacidade funcional e comportamento. A maioria dos estudos enfocou a DA. A demência grave está associada ao aumento da idade, maior morbimortalidade e aumento dos custos de cuidados. É fundamental reconhecer que a demência grave é o período mais longo de progressão, com o paciente vivendo muitos anos nesta fase. É a fase mais heterogênea do processo, com diferentes habilidades e expectativa de vida. Esta diretriz de prática concentra-se na demência grave para melhorar o manejo e o cuidado nessa fase da demência. Como um longo período no continuum da demência, as abordagens não farmacológicas e farmacológicas devem ser consideradas. Intervenções multidisciplinares (fisioterapia, fonoaudiologia, nutrição, enfermagem, entre outras) são essenciais, além de educacionais e de apoio aos cuidadores.

Should capacity assessments be performed routinely prior to discussing advance care planning with older people?

ABSTRACTBackground:People with dementia receive worse end of life care compared to those with cancer. Barriers to undertaking advanced care planning (ACP) in people with dementia include the uncertainty about their capacity to engage in such discussions. The primary aim of this study was to compare the Advance Care Planning-Capacity Assessment Vignette tool (ACP-CAV) with a semi-structured interview adapted from the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool-Treatment (MacCAT-T). The secondary aim was to identify demographic and cognitive functioning variables that may predict whether a person has capacity to discuss ACP.

METHODS

32 older people (mean age = 84.1) with a Mini-Mental State Examination of 24 or above were recruited from two retirement villages in Auckland. Participants also completed Trail Making Test Part A & Part B and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) before undertaking the two capacity assessments that were video recorded to enable further analysis by four independent old age psychiatrists.

RESULTS

Using the MacCAT-T as the gold standard, over half (53.1%) of the participants were considered as lacking in capacity to engage in ACP. Participants struggled with the "Understanding ACP" domain the most. Capacity was not predictable by any of the demographic or cognitive functioning variables. When compared to the gold standard, ACP-CAV was accurate in assessing capacity in 68.8% of the cases.

CONCLUSION

Clinicians should routinely explain ACP to older people and ensure they fully understand it prior to an ACP discussion. If there is any concern about their understanding, further exploration and documentation of their capacity using the capacity assessment framework would be necessary. However, capacity assessment is a complex iterative process that does not easily lend itself to screening methodology and requires a high level of clinical judgment.

End-of-life care of elderly patients with dementia: A cross-sectional study of family carer decision-making

BACKGROUND

Dementia syndromes pose a major worldwide challenge to public health. In terminal stage of dementia, carers are responsible for decision making in end-of-life treatment and there may be multiple factors that contribute to the choice of a palliative or invasive treatment.

AIM

To identify possible factors that influence the decision-making of family caregivers on implementing invasive or palliative interventions for people with end stage dementia.

DESIGN

A structured interview with family caregivers of elderly patients addressing aspects of the following categories: elderly with dementia, caregiver, medical treatment history. Statistical analysis was performed to test whether there was a significant association between the carer's decision (invasive or palliative treatment) and the collected variables.

SETTINGAND PARTICIPANTS

The study was conducted in three hospitals in Brazil. Participants were family caregivers of inpatients with end stage dementia RESULTS: Most of caregivers chose not to perform invasive procedures. The factors with the greatest association with the decision for invasive care were: elderly with tracheostomy, dementia diagnosis for less than 2 years, caregiver's age less than 50 years, history of hospital admission in the last year, affirmation that interviewee would be surprised with the death of the elderly within 1year and the denial that health care team has already explained about treatment options.

CONCLUSION

There were identified several factors related to the carer, the elderly person and their medical treatment that may influence the choice between palliative and invasive care for the elderly person with dementia.

Communication in dementia care

Dementia is a progressive neurodegenerative illness that affects a growing number of older adults in our country. We discuss ways to improve the management of persons with dementia within current healthcare models. Specifically, we argue that structured communication at regular intervals is essential for dementia care at all phases of illness. We emphasize the need for a single healthcare provider to take on a central role in organizing communication between patient, family and other healthcare providers in the outpatient setting. We also emphasize the need for healthcare providers to begin conversations about prognosis, care transitions and end of life early while balancing these difficult conversations with a hopeful attitude of realistic optimism that the disease can be managed.

Antibiotic use and associated factors in patients with dementia: a systematic review

BACKGROUND

Infections frequently occur in patients with dementia and antibiotics are often prescribed, but may also be withheld.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of this systematic review is to provide a systematic overview of the prevalence of antibiotic use, and factors associated with prescribing antibiotics in patients with dementia.

DATA SOURCES

A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, PSYCINFO, CINAHL, and the Cochrane library databases until February 13, 2014 was performed, using both controlled terms and free-text terms.

RESULTS

Thirty-seven articles were included. The point prevalence of antibiotic use in patients with dementia ranged from 3.3 to 16.6%. The period prevalence ranged from 4.4 to 88% overall, and from 23.5 to 94% in variable time frames before death; the median use was 52% (median period 14 days) and 48% (median period 22 days), respectively. Most patients with lower respiratory tract infections or urinary tract infections (77-91%) received antibiotic treatment. Factors associated with antibiotic use related to patients, families, physicians, and the healthcare context. More severe dementia and a poor prognosis were associated with less antibiotic use in various countries. Associations with aspiration and illness severity differed by country.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Antibiotic use in patients with dementia is substantial, and probably highly associated with the particular healthcare context. Future studies may report antibiotic use by infection type and stage of dementia, and compare cross-nationally.

Symptom Assessment for a Palliative Care Approach in People With Dementia Admitted to Acute Hospitals: Results From a National Audit

CONTEXT

As the prevalence of dementia increases, more people will need dementia palliative and end-of-life (EOL) care in acute hospitals. Published literature suggests that good quality care is not always provided.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the prescription of antipsychotics and performance of multidisciplinary assessments relevant to palliative care for people with dementia, including those at EOL, during hospital admission.

METHOD

As part of a national audit of dementia care, 660 case notes were reviewed across 35 acute hospitals.

RESULTS

In the entire cohort, many assessments essential to dementia palliative care were not performed. Of the total sample, 76 patients died, were documented to be receiving EOL care, and/or were referred for specialist palliative care. In this cohort, even less symptom assessment was performed (eg, no pain assessment in 27%, no delirium screening in 68%, and no mood or behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia in 93%). In all, 37% had antipsychotic drugs during their admission and 71% of these received a new prescription in hospital, most commonly for "agitation."

CONCLUSION

This study suggests a picture of poor symptom assessment and possible inappropriate prescription of antipsychotic medication, including at EOL, hindering the planning and delivery of effective dementia palliative care in acute hospitals.

Assessment of factors that influence physician decision making regarding medication use in patients with dementia at the end of life

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to evaluate the extent to which patient-related factors and physicians' country of practice (Northern Ireland [NI] and the Republic of Ireland [RoI]) influenced decision making regarding medication use in patients with end-stage dementia.

METHODS

The study utilised a factorial survey design comprising four vignettes to evaluate initiating/withholding or continuing/discontinuing specific medications in patients with dementia nearing death. Questionnaires and vignettes were mailed to all hospital physicians in geriatric medicine and to all general practitioners (GPs) in NI (November 2010) and RoI (December 2010), with a second copy provided 3 weeks after the first mailing. Logistic regression models were constructed to examine the impact of patient-related factors and physicians' country of practice on decision making. Significance was set a priori at p ≤ 0.05. Free text responses to open questions were analysed qualitatively using content analysis.

RESULTS

The response rate was 20.6% (N = 662) [21.1% (N = 245) for GPs and 52.1% (N = 38) for hospital physicians in NI, 18.3% (N = 348) for GPs and 36.0% (N = 31) for hospital physicians in RoI]. There was considerable variability in decision making about initiating/withholding antibiotics and continuing/discontinuing the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor and memantine hydrochloride, and less variability in decision making regarding statins and antipsychotics. Patient place of residence and physician's country of practice had the strongest and most consistent effects on decision making although effect sizes were small.

CONCLUSIONS

Further research is required into other factors that may impact upon physicians' prescribing decisions for these vulnerable patients and to clarify how the factors examined in this study influence prescribing decisions.

Neurologic aspects of palliative care: the end of life setting

As there are, to date, few curative treatment options for many neurologic diseases, end of life (EOL) care is an important aspect of the treatment of neurologic patients. In the EOL phase, treatment should be aimed at relieving symptoms, maintaining quality of life, and facilitating a peaceful and dignified way of dying. Common signs and symptoms in the EOL phase of neurologic patients are raised intracranial pressure, seizures, confusion, cognitive deficits, and impaired motor function. Supportive treatment of these symptoms (such as analgesic drugs, dexamethasone, antiepileptic and neuroleptic drugs) is of major importance to maintain quality of life as long as possible. Another key aspect of EOL care is EOL decision making, such as withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment, and palliative sedation. The main goal of EOL decision making is the prevention and relief of suffering, even if this might hasten death. Especially in advanced stages of many neurologic diseases, confusion, cognitive deficits, communication deficits, and decreasing levels of consciousness may impair the competence of patients to participate in EOL decision making. Given that patient autonomy is increasingly essential, advance care planning (ACP) at an early stage of the disease should be considered.

Surrogate decision making for patients with end-stage dementia

OBJECTIVE

We aim to explore how health surrogates of patients with dementia proceed in decision making, which considerations are decisive, and whether family surrogates and professional guardians decide differently.

METHODS

We conducted an experimental vignette study using think aloud protocol analysis. Thirty-two family surrogates and professional guardians were asked to decide on two hypothetical case vignettes, concerning a feeding tube placement and a cardiac pacemaker implantation in patients with end-stage dementia. They had to verbalize their thoughts while deciding. Verbalizations were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed according to content analysis. By experimentally changing variables in the vignettes, the impact of these variables on the outcome of decision making was calculated.

RESULTS

Although only 25% and 31% of the relatives gave their consent to the feeding tube and pacemaker placement, respectively, 56% and 81% of the professional guardians consented to these life-sustaining measures. Relatives decided intuitively, referred to their own preferences, and focused on the patient's age, state of wellbeing, and suffering. Professional guardians showed a deliberative approach, relied on medical and legal authorities, and emphasized patient autonomy. Situational variables such as the patient's current behavior and the views of health care professionals and family members had higher impacts on decisions than the patient's prior statements or life attitudes.

CONCLUSIONS

Both the process and outcome of surrogate decision making depend heavily on whether the surrogate is a relative or not. These findings have implications for the physician-surrogate relationship and legal frameworks regarding surrogacy.