End-of-life care program at UCLA benefited dying patients and loved ones despite COVID restrictions

A program offered by UCLA Health ’s intensive care units is providing meaningful and compassionate support for dying patients and their families, despite the challenges brought about by COVID-19. A study about the initiative, published in the journalCritical Care Explorations, is the first to show empirically that a palliative care program could be adapted — and even expanded — during the pandemic. It also could serve as a case study for improving end-of-life care during an era when visiting restrictions and infection control have introduced extraordinary new challenges for health care providers.Researchers analyzed the number and types of wishes granted, before and during the pandemic, throughUCLA Health ’s 3 Wishes Program, which fulfills small but meaningful requests from dying patients and their families. The study followed 523 patients in six adult intensive care units at two locations, the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and the UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center.Through the program, which was introduced in 2017, UCLA Health staff have presented patients and their families with mementos including keychains capturing the dying patient ’s fingerprints, framed prints of electrocardiograms and sculptures of entwined hands of loved ones. They have arranged outdoor weddings and personal music performances, andcommissioned volunteers to create paintings that honor patients ’ interests and hobbies.The research found that, despite the challenges of the pandemic, an ...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news