News from Mather LifeWays
The article summaries presented below are compiled by Mather LifeWays, a not-for-profit organization based in Evanston, Illinois, dedicated to identifying, implementing, and sharing the best practices for wellness, workforce issues, memory care programs, and caregiver empowerment. For more information, visit www.matherlifeways.com, or call 847-492-7500.
End-of-Life Care Preferences Change With Time
Archives of Internal Medicine (April 2006)
A new study reveals that older adults change their preferences for end-of-life care over time and are more willing to accept treatment resulting in physical disability than treatment resulting in cognitive disability. Yale School of Medicine researchers conducted in-home interviews with 226 people ages 60 and older who suffered from cancer, congestive heart failure, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and found, over time, that patients’ rating of acceptable treatments changed as they declined in their ability to perform activities of daily living. To read the full article, visit http://archinte.ama-assn.org/
New Guidelines on Lifting & Moving Residents
Life Services Network Week’s News (April 2006)
Safe Lifting and Movement of Nursing Home Residents is a new guide available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that incorporates research from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Veteran’s Health Administration (VHA), and the University of Wisconsin. The guide addresses topics such as the challenges of lifting residents in nursing homes, the benefits and costs of a safe resident-lifting program, and frequently asked questions about these processes. To download the guide, visit http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2006-117.
U.S. Ranks Last in Patient Safety Among Nations
Life Services Network Week’s News (April 2006)
“When looking at measures of care, America ranked last for efficiency, patient safety, and patient centeredness.”
The U.S., despite spending the most per capita on health care, ranks lower on measures of care according to two reports released by the Commonwealth Fund. Surveys of adults’ health care experiences in the U.S., Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, and the U.K. found that America ranked last for equity, efficiency, patient safety, and patient centeredness, and ranked third for timeliness of care. For more information, visit http://www.cmwf.org.