[Advance directives in palliative care units].
Patients with advanced illness and their caregivers request information at all stages of the disease process. They experience fear of pain, of indignity, of abandonment and of the unknown. Open and direct discussions can ease many of these fears. Advance directives may be useful tools to improve communication and satisfaction with decision-making at the end-of-life. Each patient hospitalized in palliative care unit should be informed about advances directives and be encouraged to complete them. However, it is of importance to respect patients' pace and to accept that some may not want to be involved in such process.
Déramé
Laurence
L
Service de médecine palliative, Département de rehabilitation et gériatrie, HUG, II, ch. de la Savonnieère 1245 Collonge-Bellerive laurence.derame@hcuge.ch
Paillet
Dominique
D
Pautex
Sophie
S
D032722:Advance Care Planning; D016223:Advance Directives; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010166:Palliative Care; D010358:Patient Participation; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011368:Professional-Family Relations