The known unknowns of assisted hydration at the end of life.
Accepted version
Peer-reviewed
Repository URI
Repository DOI
Change log
Authors
Kingdon, Arjun
Spathis, Anna https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9837-7281
Bowers, Ben https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6772-2620
Barclay, Stephen https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4505-7743
Abstract
Much is unknown about assisted hydration at the end of life: why rates of usage vary so highly between institutions, cultures and countries, what beneficial or burdensome effects this treatment has, whether there is a place for subcutaneous hydration in the home setting, and how best to communicate about this difficult topic with dying people and their families. In light of a recently published systematic review concerning the impact of assisted hydration at the end of life, this article explores these questions and related issues, concluding that individualisation and shared decision-making are essential aspects of high-quality end-of-life care.
Description
Keywords
Assisted hydration, End-of-life care, Parenteral fluids, Shared decision making, Subcutaneous hydration, Death, Hospice Care, Humans, Terminal Care
Journal Title
Br J Community Nurs
Conference Name
Journal ISSN
1462-4753
2052-2215
2052-2215
Volume Title
26
Publisher
Mark Allen Group
Publisher DOI
Rights
All rights reserved