Focus more on emotional care of terminally ill: study

Terminally ill patients receiving palliative treatment have called for a greater focus on their emotional care and better planning for their future.

These are among the findings of a study of the experiences of palliative care among patients, their families and carers undertaken by the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care.

The Let’s Talk About survey findings, which will be launched today to mark the start of Palliative Care Week, showed that people want to discuss and plan for their future — 64% of respondents said that ‘planning for the future’ was the biggest practical worry in their experience.

And half of those surveyed said their ‘emotional and psychological needs’ were least well met. They highlighted the need for better and clearer communication, with a third surveyed saying they received too little information too late.

When asked what could have been better in their experience of palliative care, 39% said coordination of care or treatment, 21% said better emotional support and 9% said better information.

- The Let’s Talk About survey remains open on palliativecareweek.com until January.