As time is limited, creation of a legacy document, particularly when aided by a care partner, is an effective method of facilitating a sense of dignity. However, access to care has been a problem for many individuals enrolled in community dwelling hospice care. Providing Dignity Therapy, (DT) a short-term individualized psychotherapy intervention…

Due to advances in medical treatments, students with terminal illnesses are more likely to attend public schools, increasing the possibility that they may die on school property. However, educational health plans often fail to consider end-of-life care decisions. In the absence of federal or state statutes, school boards are left to navigate the…

Background: Illness and death are part of life for everyone, including people with intellectual disabilities. This study investigated the extent to which staff communicate about death with people with intellectual disability facing terminal illness or bereavement. Method: Staff who support people with intellectual disability in the UK (n = 690)…

This study elicited the experiences of nurses caring for children with life-limiting conditions and their family, within a community based intellectual disability service. A qualitative descriptive research approach was adopted where purposeful sampling recruited 10 participants. Data was collected using one to one semi-structured interviews and…

The client's ability to communicate is key to providing quality palliative end-of-life care. A speech-language pathologist (SLP) can facilitate the patient's ability to communicate concerns or preferences in order to (1) improve the health care team's ability to manage symptoms and engage in end-of-life discussions, and (2) support the patient and…

In response to needs identified by the Institute of Medicine and the National Association of Social Workers, this article describes an experiential assignment to increase BSW students' skills in end-of-life care. In this assignment, students discussed end-of-life wishes with another, completed an advance directive, and processed their experience.…

Purpose: The response of each child to terminal illness treatment is highly individual. This will certainly affect the level and type of perceived needs. This study is conducted to examine the needs of children with terminal illness from the perspective of nurses and parents. Method: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted in this research.…

The purpose of this dissertation was to assess an undergraduate, online course, "The Process of Dying" offered in fall 2016 at Wilmington University. End of Life education has been limited to date and most individuals wait until there is a pressing need to consider actively planning for their death. "The Process of Dying" is…