Most terminally-ill patients who prefer to stay at home supposedly die more peacefully than those who breathe their last in a hospital room, a new study in the United Kingdom revealed. Various factors affect these patients' conditions and the grief experienced by their family members.
Researchers from the Cicely Saunders Institute at King's College London found that terminally-ill patients, especially patients who were diagnosed with cancer, die at home more peacefully but they still suffer as greatly as those who die in a hospital bed. Families were also more likely to experience less intense grief when their loved one died at home.
In a study issued in the journal BMC Medicine, researchers discovered that factors such as the patient's personal preference, family member's preference, and the aid of home palliative care or community nursing were crucial as to whether the patient would experience peace. Almost 91 percent of home deaths had factors above present in their condition.
The study also noted that it was important that a family member took a leave from work to take care of the patient.
"We know that many patients fear being at home believing that they place an awful burden on their family," Dr. Barbara Gomes, lead researcher, said. "However, we found that grief was actually less intense for relatives of people who died at home."
Researchers prepared questions that were answered by 352 family members of deceased patients from London. Among the number, 177 patients had died at a hospital while 175 passed away at home. Respondents were asked to measure the validated extent of the patients' pain and peace during their last week of living, and the extent of their own grief levels.
Previous research has discovered that most terminally-ill patients want to die at home than at hospitals, but there is no further evidence to back up whether dying at home is worse or better than dying in hospitals.
Gomes said that the most important key for the terminally-ill patients' conditions was to have a comprehensive home-care plan in place. She pointed out that the Canadian government had proposed a paid insurance program for employees so they can take care of a loved one who is ill.
Gomes also recommends that health care providers encourage an open discussion of preferences with the patient and their relatives for where the terminally- ill patient will die.
"Many people with cancer justifiably fear pain. So it is encouraging that we observed patients dying at home did not experience greater pain than those in hospitals where access to pain relieving drugs may be more plentiful," she said.
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