What degree of medical treatment do nursing home residents want in case of life-threatening disease?
OBJECTIVE
to examine the degree of medical treatment wanted by nursing home residents, their relatives and staff members should the resident develop a serious and life-threatening disease and to analyse the degree of agreement between the wishes of these parties.


METHODS
an epidemiological, descriptive cross-sectional study.


METHODS
the study population consisted of 101 competent and 106 incompetent residents from 16 nursing homes; 142 relatives and 207 staff members were also interviewed. A hypothetical disease story was presented to residents, relatives and staff members and their choices classified into four groups according to degree of treatment.


RESULTS
direct comparisons for the individual resident showed the greatest degree of disagreement whether to accept or refuse referral to hospital between relatives incompetent residents and staff members, in that the preference for curative treatment was significantly more frequent among the relatives.


CONCLUSIONS
nursing home staff should try to discuss with relatives of incompetent residents their preferences for treatment in case the resident develops a serious disease before an acute situation arises.
Moe
C
C
Geriatric Department HL, Copenhagen Municipal Hospital, Denmark.
Schroll
M
M
D000368:Aged; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000523:psychology; D003718:Denmark; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D007258:Informed Consent / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D007872:Legal Guardians; D016743:Mental Competency / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D012297:Right to Die / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*