A Guide to Psychosocial and Spiritual Care at the End of Life

Psychological, social, and spiritual care is as important as physical care at the end of life.  Yet caregivers often feel ill-equipped to give that nonphysical care.  This book shows how to do it.   The book addresses all caregivers who attend dying patients:  doctors, nurses, chaplains, clergy in the pastorate, social workers, clinical psychologists, family caregivers, and others.  It covers such topics as the functional and emotional trajectories of dying; the varied approaches of patients and caregivers to end-of-life decisions; culturally based beliefs about dying; the differences between depression and grief; and people's views about the right time to die, the death experience itself, and the afterlife.  For each topic the book introduces core concepts and summarizes recent research about them.  The book presents much of its material in readable tables for easy reference; applies the material to real-life cases; lists the main "take home" points for each chapter; and gives references for additional reading.  The book helps caregivers anticipate the reactions of patients and survivors to end-of-life traumas and suggests how caregivers can respond insightfully and compassionately.  At the same time the book challenges caregivers to think through their own views about death and dying.  This book, therefore, is a must-read for all caregivers professional and nonprofessional alike who strive to give their patients comprehensive, high-quality end-of-life care.

List of contents

Psychosocial and Spiritual Care with the End of Life in Sight.- The Symptoms and Signs of Dying.- Decisions at the Ends of Patients' Lives.- Risks, Benefits, and Patients' Treatment Decisions at the End of Life.- The Challenges of Prognosis Near the End of Life.- Advance Care Planning and Preparing to Die.- Proxy Decision-Making at the End of Life.- Impact of Terminal Illness on the Family.- Care for Family Caregivers.- Culture and End-of-Life Care.- The "Right" Time and Way to Die.- Going Home, the Afterlife, and Other Beliefs About Death.- Bereavement and Grief.- Giving End-of-Life Spiritual Care.- A Look Back, a Look Now, and a Look Forward.

About the author

Henry S. Perkins, MD, FACP
Ecumenical Center for Religion and Health
and
The University of Texas Health Science Center
San Antonio, TX, USA

Summary

Psychological, social, and spiritual care is as important as physical care at the end of life.  Yet caregivers often feel ill-equipped to give that nonphysical care.  This book shows how to do it.   The book addresses all caregivers who attend dying patients:  doctors, nurses, chaplains, clergy in the pastorate, social workers, clinical psychologists, family caregivers, and others.  It covers such topics as the functional and emotional trajectories of dying; the varied approaches of patients and caregivers to end-of-life decisions; culturally based beliefs about dying; the differences between depression and grief; and people’s views about the right time to die, the death experience itself, and the afterlife.  For each topic the book introduces core concepts and summarizes recent research about them.  The book presents much of its material in readable tables for easy reference; applies the material to real-life cases; lists the main “take home” points for each chapter; and gives references for additional reading.  The book helps caregivers anticipate the reactions of patients and survivors to end-of-life traumas and suggests how caregivers can respond insightfully and compassionately.  At the same time the book challenges caregivers to think through their own views about death and dying.  This book, therefore, is a must-read for all caregivers―professional and nonprofessional alike―who strive to give their patients comprehensive, high-quality end-of-life care.

Additional text

“Perkins states that there is no dichotomy between physical and nonphysical aspects in end-of-life care. He strongly stresses the need to recognize the role that nonphysical aspects of life and death play in contemporary society. … the book focuses on daily clinical practice, its difficulties and dilemmas in relation to the patient’s wishes and nonphysical requests, which medical science seems unable to explain clearly and truthfully.” (Federico Nicoli, Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics, October, 1, 2019)

“This impressive book uses many voices to deliver that message. Perkins is an experienced internist and bioethics consultant, but he calls on many others throughout the book–fellow physicians, nurses, chaplains, philosophers, scientists, dying patients and their loved ones. He weaves together their commentaries–from whispered words of resignation to shouts of ‘raging at the dying of the light’–into a lucid text, packed with information and case illustrations. The result is an indispensable addition to end-of-life literature.” (Albert R. Jonsen, Ethical Times, Vol. 15 (1), 2018)

“The author is writing for the broad spectrum of healthcare professional – novice to expert – regarding end‐of‐life issues, adult and pediatric healthcare professionals, and caregivers for end‐of‐life patients. In my judgment, the audience is novice to competent healthcare providers. The author is credible, based on personally conducting research and years of clinical practice.” (Elizabeth Ann Freitas, Doody's Book Reviews, September, 2017)

Report

"Perkins states that there is no dichotomy between physical and nonphysical aspects in end-of-life care. He strongly stresses the need to recognize the role that nonphysical aspects of life and death play in contemporary society. ... the book focuses on daily clinical practice, its difficulties and dilemmas in relation to the patient's wishes and nonphysical requests, which medical science seems unable to explain clearly and truthfully." (Federico Nicoli, Theoretical Medicine and Bioethics, October, 1, 2019)
"This impressive book uses many voices to deliver that message. Perkins is an experienced internist and bioethics consultant, but he calls on many others throughout the book-fellow physicians, nurses, chaplains, philosophers, scientists, dying patients and their loved ones. He weaves together their commentaries-from whispered words of resignation to shouts of 'raging at the dying of the light'-into a lucid text, packed with information and case illustrations. The result is an indispensable addition to end-of-life literature." (Albert R. Jonsen, Ethical Times, Vol. 15 (1), 2018)

"The author is writing for the broad spectrum of healthcare professional - novice to expert - regarding end-of-life issues, adult and pediatric healthcare professionals, and caregivers for end-of-life patients. In my judgment, the audience is novice to competent healthcare providers. The author is credible, based on personally conducting research and years of clinical practice." (Elizabeth Ann Freitas, Doody's Book Reviews, September, 2017)

Product details

• Authors: Henry S Perkins, Henry S. Perkins
• Assisted by: Henry S. Perkins (Editor), Henr S Perkins (Editor), Henry S Perkins (Editor)
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 01.01.2017
• EAN: 9781493968022
• ISBN: 978-1-4939-6802-2
• No. of pages: 486
• Dimensions: 156 mm x 244 mm x 34 mm
• Weight: 920 g
• Illustrations: XV, 486 p. 3 illus., 2 illus. in color.
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Medicine > Non-clinical medicine; B, aging, Medicine, Geriatrics, INTERNAL MEDICINE, Health psychology, Ageing, Age groups: the elderly, Geriatrics/Gerontology, Age groups: adults