CHOOSING WHERE TO DIE; HOME OR HOSPITAL?

Dying is a major subject people often avoid discussing, particularly when it pertains to their own deaths. Opinions also vary from person to person with some being open to discussing the subject matter, setting out steps that include laying out how they will go about leaving this world. However, there are others who shy from it, believing that if it is out of mind then it remains out of sight. Many people also place importance on deciding where they would like to spend their time receiving medical treatment and health care before they die.

Normally, there are legal considerations to making a decision on particularly where one wishes to die. Although this can be declared orally, it can also be put into a document. Both methods are considered legally binding as they declare the wishes of the individual. Countries like England and Wales require individuals to sign a document called the, “Preferred priority for care document’. Other countries have developed their own such documents (Cancer Research UK, 2019). The document normally contains the wishes of the individual, pertaining to their preferences during their last weeks or months of life. Moreover, it contains plans for their health care service and treatment in their latter days. How comfortable an individual is with his/her place of treatment, as well as the health care providers, can influence the decision on to where to spend ones final days during the terminal stages of a disease.

Whilst some may insist on being in the confines of their home either alone or with home care, others may find comfort in the hospital or in a hospice ( a care centre that offer holistic and homely care for the sick or terminally ill). Some cancer hospitals also offer comprehensive palliative care for individuals in order to meet their needs during this period (Cancer Research UK, 2019). This palliative care is imperative in securing the emotional and psychological support and interventions required. It also involves a collaborative effort with the patients family during this period (NICE, 2016).

The familiarity of individuals with their nurses, doctors and other health care officials may influence ones decision to die in a hospital. This may be further impacted by the readmission of individuals into the same wards. Most of the facilities also ensure a conducive atmosphere for the affected persons with the presence of private rooms, kitchens and lounges as well as day room. This becomes very important because it offers individuals the respect, comfort and dignity that they require and provides the necessary support that they deserve in their last days of life. Health care professionals are also under strict guidelines that they must abide by when caring for such patients in order to ensure they receive the best care possible (NICE, 2015).
Therefore, though some may avoid making this decision as they are yet to come to terms with dying and would rather leave it to chance or fate, others are mindful with how they spend their last moments and should be supported as such.

Author: Justin Tetteh-Quaye

Comments

STRESS AND COPING WITH IT

Stress is something we can all relate to because at a certain point in time we have all had to deal with some amount of it. It is usually a transient overwhelming feeling of incapability in busy life periods but can easily become a chronic condition if left unresolved. It is so prevalent in our lives and so it becomes important for us to develop ways of dealing with it. Not dealing with stress properly whether it be by avoidance, drinking or smoking will eventually manifest as illnesses. It can increase the chance of hypertension, gastrointestinal issues and can also worsen conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease. Additionally, for those with children, chronic stress can put your children at risk of developing Asthma. Excessive stress can even cause premature death. This article will suggest some healthy and straightforward coping mechanisms. One method of coping with stress is known as the problem-focused coping approach or in other words is to actively alter the stressful

OUR FIRST POST!!!!

Sel, there’s no one here! Think we got here first…yippee, hi five! We are super chuffed to have you join us on our journey through a myriad of psychological thoughts and concepts. The Psychology component of GEMP 425 - Population, Health And Medical Statistics was an interesting roller coaster ride in our final preclinical semester. From the first day Prof. Ofori-Attah walked into the MB2 Auditorium and asked us to debate the 'pros and cons of euthanasia' , we knew we were in for a jolly good ride. Starting off with discussing ‘Paradigms in Healthcare’ to investigating ‘Stress and Illness’ as well as honing our patient-doctor communication skills, we went through the entire nine yards in this aspect of the course! Welcome! This blog is a result of our hard work and passion. It contains vital information on psychosocial issues through a medical lens. Learn and have fun as you interact with the articles, illustrations and videos. Hop on to the 'Paradigms

HOW DOES NEW AND IMPROVED TECHNOLOGY AFFECT THE PARADIGM OF MEDICINE/HEALTH?

Technology has changed the way things are normally done in medicine and healthcare. Sometimes for the better, other times for worse. Technology has made collecting data and managing of health records easier with computerized methods instead of the age-old, hard copy hospital file which is quite difficult to find at times. Technology also makes us aware of ailments of global importance with social media updates to inform us of spread of these ailments and prevention techniques. Improvements in technology has aided to the discovery of cures for many diseases and better treatment methods for conditions such as cancers. All these may affect the paradigm of medicine we are used to in some ways. The true challenge however is the scourge of the internet and mobile phone applications that tend to replace the actual visit to the hospital or the input of a health professional. Doctor visits can be expensive and a bit inconvenient at times so why not just use the internet or an applicat

MOOD DISORDERS WITH EMPHASIS ON BIPOLAR DISORDER

Mood disorders are a category of illnesses that describe a serious change in mood. Though many different subtypes are recognized, three major states of mood disorders exist: depressive, manic, and bipolar. Bipolar disorder previously referred to as manic depression is a multifactorial illness with uncertain aetiology. It is a mental health condition that causes extreme mood swings that include emotional highs like depression and mania. The cycling between both depressed and manic moods is what characterises bipolar mood disorder. Epidemiology Epidemiological studies have suggested a lifetime prevalence of around 1% for bipolar type I in the general population. A large cross-sectional survey of 11 countries found the overall lifetime prevalence of bipolar spectrum disorders was 2.4%, with a prevalence of 0.6% for bipolar type I and 0.4% for bipolar type II. There are several types of bipolar and related disorders including cyclothymic disorder but the two types of bipo

THE '22 TIMES

Search This Blog