Family Anticipatory Grief: An Integrative Literature Review

American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine,  September 2017, 34(8) 774-85

Coelho A, Barbosa A.

Uncertainty persists in anticipatory grief (AG) literature, concerning its definition and basic characteristics. This review synthesizes recent research in order to develop further knowledge about the family experience of AG during a patient's end of life.  Ten themes were identified, which correspond to AG nuclear characteristics, contributing to a deeper conceptualization of the term and to a more sensitive clinical practice.

The good of gardening: cultivating wellbeing at home and in hospices

Marie Curie, October 2017

A new joint campaign between Marie Curie, the UK’s leading terminal illness charity, and the National Garden Scheme, launches this week. The campaign, ‘The Good of Gardening’, aims to highlight the therapeutic potential of gardening for people living with terminal illnesses, and their families.

It follows a report published last year by the King’s Fund, and commissioned by the National Garden Scheme, that summarised research evidence linking gardens and gardening to a range of physical and psychological wellbeing benefits.

The good of gardening - cultivating wellbeing at home and in hospices

Sexual well-being in cancer and palliative care: an assessment of healthcare professionals' current practice and training needs

BMJ supportive & palliative care; Sep 2017; 7(3) 251-54

Gleeson, Aoife; Hazell, Emily

This study aimed to identify the current practice of healthcare professionals working with cancer and palliative care patients in Wales in relation to sexual well-being and to ascertain their need for training.

Fulltext available in BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care

Available in print in Arthur Rank Hospice Library, Cambridge

Improving malodour management in advanced cancer: a 10-year retrospective study of topical, oral and maintenance metronidazole

BMJ supportive & palliative care; Sep 2017; vol. 7 (no. 3); p. 286-291

George, Reena; Prasoona, Thotampuri Shanthi; Kandasamy, Ramu; Cherian, Renitha; Celine, Thangarathi; Jeba, Jenifer; Murali, Shakila; Mathew, David

Following a case note review of 179 patients examining the relative effectiveness of topical or oral metronidazole used for malodour in necrotic cancers, the authors suggest that their data support formulary guidelines recommending maintenance metronidazole for recurrent malodour.  They propose a protocol for metronidazole usage in managing malodour.

Fulltext available in BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care 

Available in print in Arthur Rank Hospice Library, Cambridge

The mourning process of older people with dementia who lost their spouse

Journal of Advanced Nursing; Sep 2017; 73(9) 2143-2155

Watanabe, Akiko; Suwa, Sayuri

In this study, the authors aimed to explore the mourning process of people with dementia who have lost their spouse using family caregivers' and professionals' perspectives and devise grief care for people with dementia.

Palliative care for people with advanced major neuro-cognitive disorders

International Journal of Palliative Nursing; Oct 2017; vol. 23 (no. 10); p. 502-510

Crowther, Jacqueline; Costello, John

In this article, the authors discuss the major neuro-cognitive disorders.  Palliative and end-of-life care, including legal and ethical issues, common symptoms and nursing problems, are addressed.  The needs of family and lay caregivers, who form an important part of the overall experience of major neuro-cognitive disorders, are also highlighted. 

Available in print in Arthur Rank Hospice Library, Cambridge

A meta-analysis of the effectiveness and safety of kinesiology taping in the management of cancer-related lymphoedema

European Journal of Cancer Care; Sep 2017; 26(5)

Gatt, M; Willis, S; Leuschner, S

This review aims to determine the effectiveness and safety of kinesiotaping (KT) in the management of CRL compared to compression bandaging or hosiery.  

Pharmacology of cough in palliative care

Current opinion in supportive and palliative care; Sep 2017; 11(3);147-151

Morice, Alyn H; Shanks, Gabriella

The purpose of the review is to assess the current evidence relating to the pharmacological management of cough. Its findings will aid practitioners' understanding of cough in a variety of settings, including palliative care.

Palliative and end-of-life care for adults with advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a rapid review focusing on patient and family caregiver perspectives

Current opinion in supportive and palliative care; Dec 2017; vol. 11 (no. 4); p. 315-327 Mathews, Gillian; Johnston, Bridget

The review identified areas of unmet need across physical, psychosocial and spiritual domains, particularly in relation to appropriate and timely conversations.  There have been positive developments in the care and treatment of COPD and some evidence about the use of technology in end-stage COPD.

Evaluation of a low-light intervention - starlight therapy - for agitation, anxiety, restlessness, sleep disturbances, dyspnea, and pain at end of life

Journal of Hospice and Palliative Nursing; Jun 2017; vol. 19 (no. 3); p. 214-220

Emerson, Kathleen; Murphy, Mary; Quinlin, Linda; O'Malley, Patricia; Hayes, Kathleen

This research was conducted in Ohio and assessed the effectiveness of Starlight Therapy in treating the negative symptoms associated with end of life.  The study of 40 patients found the Starlight Therapy effective in treating the symptoms of anxiety, agitation, dyspnea, insomnia, and pain in 90% of the patients within a 30-minute period. 

The (Palliative) care of Huntington’s disease

Progress in Palliative Care; Aug 2017; 25(4) 165-170

Macleod, A. D.(Sandy); Jury, M. A.; Anderson, T.

Care for Huntington's disease is palliative from diagnosis. Based upon a review of literature and extensive clinical experience this article provides an overview of the palliative care issues facing patients and their families.

Fulltext available in Progress in Palliative Care

Available in print in the Arthur Rank Hospice Library, Cambridge

Physiotherapy programme reduces fatigue in patients with advanced cancer receiving palliative care: randomized controlled trial

Supportive Care in Cancer; Sep 2017; 25(9) 2899-2908

Pyszora, Anna; Budzyński, Jacek; Wójcik, Agnieszka; Prokop, Anna; Krajnik, Małgorzata; Budzyński, Jacek; Wójcik, Agnieszka; Krajnik, Małgorzata

This trial involved 60 patients. The physiotherapy programme included active exercises, myofascial release and PNF techniques and was found to have beneficial effects on cancer related fatigue and other symptoms in patients with advanced cancer who received palliative care. The authors conclude that the results  suggest physiotherapy is a safe and effective method of CRF management.

A systematic review of religious beliefs about major end-of-life issues in the five major world religions

Supportive and Palliative Care 2017 15(5) 609-22

Rajshekhar Chakraborty, Areej R. El-Jawahri, Mark R. Litzow, Karen L Syrjala, Aric D. Parnes, Shahrukh K. Hashmi

The objective of this study was to examine the religious/spiritual beliefs of followers of the five major world religions (Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Judaism) about frequently encountered medical situations at the end of life (EoL).

Fulltext available in  Supportive and Palliative Care

Music therapy for palliative care: A realist review

Supportive and Palliative Care 2017 15(4) 454-64

Tracey McConnell, Sam Porter

The authors wanted to explore how music therapy benefits patients receiving palliative care and the barriers and facilitators to its implementation.  They found that it may be an effective non-pharmacological aid to managing distressing physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual symptoms.   They also identified the contexts in which music therapy was successfully introduced.  

Fulltext available in  Palliative and Supportive Care

Safe use of subcutaneous diphenhydramine in the inpatient hospice unit

American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, 2017 34(10) p954-957

Chen A1, Loquias EJ1, Roshan R, Levene R, Zelhof R, Hickey T, Cooney GA, Gonzalez F.

Although commonly administered in an impatient setting via the subcutaneous (SC) route, outside the hospice setting subcutaneous DPH has not been widely used, primarily because of a handful of case reports published in the 1990s that report skin necrosis following subcutaneous administration of DPH for local anesthesia. 

In this study a total of 648 diphenhydramine subcutaneous injections were administered in 109 individual patients. None of the patients were reported to have an adverse cutaneous reaction. The authors suggest that this review demonstrates that subcutaneous diphenhydramine injection is a safe alternative to oral and other parenteral routes, and may be particularly valuable in terminally ill patients, who are often unable to swallow and are without IV access.