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Helping home bound elderly clients understand and use advance directives
1St. Albans Extended Care Center, New York, NY 11425, USA.
Social Work in Health Care
|January 1, 1994
Summary
Home care social workers can help patients make informed decisions about advance directives, like living wills and health care proxies, in their own homes. This proactive approach ensures patient wishes are known before hospitalization.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare Law and Ethics
- Social Work Practice
- Patient Rights
Background:
- The Patient Self-Determination Act (PSDA) mandates healthcare institutions inform patients of their rights regarding life support.
- Traditional methods of delivering this information during hospital admission are often ineffective.
- Advance care planning is crucial for respecting patient autonomy in medical decision-making.
Observation:
- Social workers provided information on living wills and health care proxies to home care patients.
- This intervention occurred within the patient's home environment, facilitating comfort and understanding.
- The social worker's team offered support throughout the decision-making process.
Findings:
- Patients receiving home care services were successfully informed about advance directives.
- The home setting proved more conducive to discussing sensitive end-of-life care options.
- Social workers gained practical insights into facilitating advance care planning for home-bound individuals.
Implications:
- Empowers social workers to proactively engage in advance care planning with home care recipients.
- Suggests a model for improving the fulfillment of the Patient Self-Determination Act's intent.
- Highlights the importance of patient-centered communication in end-of-life care discussions.