Advance Care Planning Program and the Knowledge and Attitude Concerning Palliative Care

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Palliative Care
• Healthcare Ethics

Background:

• Advance care planning (ACP) is crucial for end-of-life decision-making in older adults.
• Long-term care residents often have complex needs regarding palliative care and life-sustaining treatments.
• Understanding residents' knowledge and attitudes towards palliative care and Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) orders is essential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of an advance care planning (ACP) program on knowledge and attitudes towards palliative care.
• To assess the effect of an ACP program on decisions regarding Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) orders among older residents in long-term care.
• To determine the effectiveness of a multi-component ACP intervention in a long-term care setting.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design was employed with cognitively unimpaired older residents in a Taiwanese long-term care institution.
• The experimental group (n=29) received an ACP intervention including an individual interview with a handbook and group education.
• The control group (n=28) received only group patient education.

Main Results:

• The ACP program significantly improved understanding of DNR orders and palliative care.
• Participants showed enhanced knowledge of and positive attitudes towards palliative care.
• Six participants in the intervention group signed DNR orders, compared to none in the control group.

Conclusions:

• The ACP program effectively enhances knowledge and attitudes regarding palliative care among older adults in long-term care.
• Multi-component ACP interventions, combining individual and group education, are beneficial for improving end-of-life care discussions.
• ACP programs can positively influence decisions about DNR orders, promoting better alignment with patient preferences.