Palliative care for patients with dementia in long-term care.

Seventy percent of people in the United States who have dementia die in the nursing home. This article addresses the following topics on palliative care for patients with dementia in long-term care: (1) transitions of care, (2) infections, other comorbidities, and decisions on hospitalization, (3) prognostication, (4) the evidence for and against tube feeding, (5) discussing goals of care with families/surrogate decision makers, (6) types of palliative care programs, (7) pain assessment and management, and (8) optimizing function and quality of life for residents with advanced dementia.