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Examination Of Principles Of Palliative Care To Bolster The Focus On Quality Of Life In Head And Neck Cancer Survivorship, Chelsea A. Macdonald

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Introduction: Potential reductions in perceived quality of life (QoL) are associated with the diagnosis of head and neck cancer (HNCa) and the consequences of its treatment. HNCa survivorship care is intended to address the challenges experienced in biopsychosocial domains of functioning that influence perceived QoL. However, owing to the conventionally medicalized provision of HNCa survivorship care, comprehensive consideration of QoL may be excluded and ultimately restricted to the provision of palliative care. If principles of palliative care are included throughout HNCa survivorship care they may serve to bolster the focus on QoL. The purpose of this study centred on the …

Examining Eshift Through The Caregiver Policy Lens: A Content Analysis, Ashlee A. Worrall

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Purpose: This research study intended to understand how a new model of palliative home care in Ontario, Canada called eShift aligned with the needs of caregivers who cared for a family member at the end-of-life.

Methods: A qualitative secondary analysis using a deductive content analysis of 14 caregiver interviews, three decision-maker interviews, and six home care agency documents collected in a three-year study and were analyzed using The Caregiver Policy Lens framework.

Findings: The eShift model of care met caregivers’ needs through timely access to respite, education, collaborating with the health care team, and physical and psychological support. Caregivers were …

The Lived Experiences Of Home Care Nurses Providing Palliative Care Information To Community-Dwelling Older Adults With A Terminal Illness, Katharine Fuchigami

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

For the past decade, expanding palliative care information has been one strategy for improving palliative care in Canada, yet there remain many concerns regarding the lack of information available to clients and their families. Nurses play a key role in providing information to community-dwelling clients and families. To date, however, limited research has investigated nurses’ experiences of providing palliative care information in a community context. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to better understand the lived experiences of 10 home care nurses providing palliative care information to community-dwelling older adults with a terminal illness. Thematic analysis revealed eight key …

The Lived Palliative Care Experiences Of Community-Dwelling Older Adults With Dementia In South Western Ontario, Kristina M. Kokorelias

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Palliative care is often suggested for individuals with dementia, yet there remains great uncertainty surrounding best delivery of care to individuals wishing to die at home. The aim of this phenomenological study was to understand the experiences of both individuals with dementia who receive palliative care in the community, and their informal family caregivers. Hermeneutic thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews from ten participant dyads revealed key themes. The themes for older adults with dementia were: belonging at home and acceptance of terminal illness; the themes for informal caregivers were: impact of dementia, double strain and home as a source of …

The Euthanasia Debate: International Experience And Canadian Policy Proposals, Lorna M. Fratschko

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis examines the problematic prospect of the introduction of euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide into Canadian society. The thesis argues that euthanasia is too simplistic an approach to address the complexities of end of life issues. The policy proposal under active discussion is profoundly mistaken. The language of euthanasia is examined in relation to the choice of words used, drawing attention to how words, when used loosely, can distort reality in this matter. Historical experience from other jurisdictions is presented to provide a context for this discussion. A "slippery slope" argument emerges via the claim that, in practice and in …

Investigating Barriers To Access And Delivery Of Palliative Care For Persons With Dementia In London, Ontario, Emily M. Hill

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Dementia is a syndrome that is progressive, degenerative and terminal. The palliative care philosophy aims to maximize quality of life for the dying individual and has been recognized in the literature as being both beneficial and under-used in persons dying with dementia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences of staff delivering palliative care to individuals with dementia to determine how care was delivered, to learn which assessment tools were used, and whether policies were affected the delivery of palliative care. Twenty-two staff participants were interviewed. Data were interpreted using phenomenological methodology. Findings yielded three themes: confusion, …