IAHPC Book of the Month and Other Reviews
Palliative Care Book of the Month
ADVANCE CARE PLANNING IN END OF LIFE CARE
Keri Thomas and Ben Lobo (Eds)
Oxford University Press, 2011
305 pp
ISBN 978-0-19-956163-6
RRP £29.95, $US59.95
‘There are conversations that everybody needs to have, and nobody wants to start.’ This comment by one of my colleagues here in Australia aptly summarises the problem. Advance care planning is one of the pillars of palliative and end-of-life care, which does not need to be sold. But how to do it well, and in a range of different clinical contexts, is another question. This book summarises the state-of-play in the UK and from other countries around the world. I noted with interest the results of the randomised controlled trial of advanced care planning conducted by another of my local colleagues, again affirming the validity of advance care planning. A number of contributors refer to the ‘no CPR’ dilemma and I was pleased to see clear statements about the circumstances in which it is not necessary to formally discuss it with the patient and/or family.
For people involved with end-of-life care but not trained in palliative medicine, this is an important book that will empower them to do it better. For those who work in palliative care it provides a reassuring summary of the evidence for advance care planning and how to do it, and should be available on the library shelf in any palliative care service. My experience is that occasional patients still arrive on a palliative care ward unaware that they will not go to ICU or receive CPR, so the messages in this book are important.
Other Reviews
MENTAL HEALTH AND CARE HOME
Tom Denning and Alisoun Milne (Eds)
Oxford University Press, 2011
386 pp
ISBN 978-0-19-959363-7
RRP £34.95, $US65.00
This book focuses on the mental health of residents in care homes, long-term care facilities formerly known as nursing homes and residential homes, or alternatively, care homes with and without nursing. The editors’ thesis is that the quality of life and care are inextricably entwined with residents’ mental health.
The book is divided into four sections. The ‘inside view’ includes accounts of care home life from residents, carers and workers. The ‘outside view’ discusses regulatory and legislative aspects. The section on ‘mental health and care’ discusses both mental health issues and broader aspects of care, consistent with the editors’ belief that attention to matters of mental health is at the core of good care. There is a good chapter on palliative care and end-of-life care. The last section, ‘promoting health and well-being’, is about good practice, how best to support care home residents and staff, and about education and training.
I have not worked in aged care or care homes, but I felt very much at home with what was being said in this book as it was very aligned to what I shall call mainstream palliative care. The need for this type of care in care homes is only going to escalate and this book will be of interest and useful to anybody who works in palliative care and is involved with, or interested, in the care provided in residential or nursing homes.
STORYING LATER LIFE
Issues, Investigations, and Interventions in Narrative Gerontology
Gary Kenyon, Ernst Bohlmeijer, William L. Randall (Eds)
Oxford University Press, 2011
397 pp
ISBN 978-0-19-539795-6
RRP $US49.95, £26.00
I don’t think narrative medicine had been formally described when I went to medical school. But it now has an increasing following of those interested in the sociological and psychological perspectives of health and disease. This volume is about narrative gerontology, or the biographical dimensions of the experience of aging.
I don’t feel that I am qualified to give a critical appraisal of the contents of this book, but I enjoyed dipping into it. The implications of narrative gerontology are explored in terms of the theory and research into the aging process, and also in terms of clinical interventions to improve quality of life. If you have an interest in narrative medicine or have a lot to do with aged care, I think you will find this book enjoyable and thought-provoking.
The reviews are by Dr. Roger Woodruff (Australia) who is a Lifetime member of the IAHPC Board. His biography may be found at http://www.hospicecare.com/Bio/r_woodruff.htm
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