End of life care issues

Abstract

The present book aims to investigate the obstacles raised to the implementation of the palliative approach as laid down by Israel's Terminally-ill Patients Act. The better we understand where these obstacles arise the more likely we shall be able to improve patients' quality of life, allow them a dignified death and respect their last wishes. Another important addition to knowledge provided by this book will be the current views of the formal caregivers of terminally-ill patients and the education/training required in order to give those caregivers the skills, authority and readiness to discuss end-of-life issues with their patients. It is hoped too that the findings of this study will reveal the training and education staff need to handle the ethical issues entailed by the implementation of the 2005 Act. They may need, for example, communication skills or skills in dealing with loss and grief. The research findings can be used to develop training programs for formal caregivers.