Hospice and palliative social workers' engagement in life review interventions

Life review (LR) interventions are typically used with older adults and those nearing end of life to identify unresolved conflicts/issues, examine accomplishments, and leave lasting legacies. This study investigated the extent that hospice and palliative social workers engaged in LR with patients and their families. An Internet-based, quantitative survey was available via a hyperlink for 4 weeks and disseminated to several national social work professional organization list serves and Web sites. Of the 346 respondents, most had conducted LRs, however, frequency and scope varied. Barriers to implementation included high caseloads/lack of time, acuity of patients, and short lengths of stay. The opportunity for many individuals to bring closure at the end of life may be lost due to limited access to LR interventions.