Terminal Dehydration: Experience, Perceptions Of End-Of-Life Palliative Care Nutrition And Hydration - Podcast

Main Category: Palliative Care / Hospice Care
Also Included In: Nutrition / Diet
Article Date: 30 Jan 2009 - 1:00 PDT

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Most palliative care patients, at the end-of-life, will have a significantly decreased food or drink intake, if any at all.

Such cessation can be due to lack of energy, anorexia, dysphasia or nausea and this absence of nutrition leads to isotonic dehydration: the loss of salt and water from the body. Whilst potentially distressing for the families and health professionals, isotonic dehydration can be beneficial for the patient.

To discuss the reactions and perceptions of families and health professionals to medically administered nutrition and hydration, Dr Pamela van der Riet talked with Hamish Holewa for IPP-SHR podcasts. Noted were benefits associated with reduced issues with fluids, less incontinence and vomiting and some documentation relating to decreased pain. Despite such benefits, decreasing of medically administered hydration and nutrition to a palliative patient can be distressing to the family.

Education, open discussion and a team approach for staff in acute care and families, as well as basic care for the patient, was seen as very important in easing the experience and burden on all in palliative care.

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International Program of Psycho-Social Health Research

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