Jiska Cohen-Mansfield1,2,3, Michal Skornick-Bouchbinder1, Shai Brill1,4. 1. Minerva Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of End of Life. 2. The Herczeg Institute on Aging, Tel-Aviv University, Israel. 3. Department of Health Promotion, School of Public Health, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel. 4. Beit-Rivka Medical Center, Petah Tikva, Israel.
Abstract
Objectives: Because End of life (EOL) is becoming an increasingly long life stage, this paper aims to describe the delineation of EOL by reviewing studies which examine (a) terminal decline (TD), the timing of change in slope of decline in specific abilities; and (b) trajectories of decline in areas such as function, health care expenditures, and well-being according to cause of death. Methods: Studies were identified through Google Scholar, PsycNET, and PubMed. Results: TD was identified in diverse domains. Most findings focused on decline of cognitive abilities, and they reported this to occur 3-7 years prior to death. TD in wellbeing was found to begin 3-5 years prior to death. Trajectories by cause of death generally examined sudden death, terminal illness, organ failure, and frailty, and findings described differences in costs, function, and wellbeing, though examining a shorter predeath period than the TD literature. Discussion: Further research is needed to combine methods of investigation in order to assist the health care system in personalizing services to the trajectories of decline, and in enabling caregivers to prepare for the EOL experience.
Objectives: Because End of life (EOL) is becoming an increasingly long life stage, this paper aims to describe the delineation of EOL by reviewing studies which examine (a) terminal decline (TD), the timing of change in slope of decline in specific abilities; and (b) trajectories of decline in areas such as function, health care expenditures, and well-being according to cause of death. Methods: Studies were identified through Google Scholar, PsycNET, and PubMed. Results: TD was identified in diverse domains. Most findings focused on decline of cognitive abilities, and they reported this to occur 3-7 years prior to death. TD in wellbeing was found to begin 3-5 years prior to death. Trajectories by cause of death generally examined sudden death, terminal illness, organ failure, and frailty, and findings described differences in costs, function, and wellbeing, though examining a shorter predeath period than the TD literature. Discussion: Further research is needed to combine methods of investigation in order to assist the health care system in personalizing services to the trajectories of decline, and in enabling caregivers to prepare for the EOL experience.
Authors: Cathy A Maxwell; Russell Rothman; Ruth Wolever; Sandra Simmons; Mary S Dietrich; Richard Miller; Mayur Patel; Mohana B Karlekar; Sheila Ridner Journal: Geriatr Nurs Date: 2020-07-22 Impact factor: 2.361
Authors: Noelle E Carlozzi; Nicholas R Boileau; Jane S Paulsen; Joel S Perlmutter; Jin-Shei Lai; Elizabeth A Hahn; Michael K McCormack; Martha A Nance; David Cella; Stacey K Barton; Nancy R Downing Journal: J Neurol Date: 2019-06-12 Impact factor: 4.849
Authors: Djin L Tay; Katherine A Ornstein; Huong Meeks; Rebecca L Utz; Ken R Smith; Caroline Stephens; Mia Hashibe; Lee Ellington Journal: J Palliat Med Date: 2021-08-27 Impact factor: 2.947
Authors: Ivan Aprahamian; Marcus K Borges; Denise J C Hanssen; Hans W Jeuring; Richard C Oude Voshaar Journal: Clin Interv Aging Date: 2022-06-22 Impact factor: 3.829
Authors: Erwin Stolz; Thomas M Gill; Hannes Mayerl; Éva Rásky; Wolfgang Freidl Journal: J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci Date: 2021-06-14 Impact factor: 6.053