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The complexities of prescribing assistive equipment at the end of life—Patient and caregivers’ perspectives

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posted on 2024-10-14, 03:25 authored by DD Morgan, Eileen WillisEileen Willis, K Sweet, P Roe, J Rabaçal, DC Currow
Ongoing participation in valued and essential everyday activities remains a priority for people with advanced disease. This study sought to understand factors influencing patients with advanced disease and caregivers’ utilisation of assistive equipment that enable this participation. Employing a pragmatic approach, purposive sampling identified participants who were inter-viewed in their homes. A semi-structured interview guide was employed to elicit community dwell-ing patients’ and caregivers’ perspectives about assistive equipment utilisation. Recorded interviews were analysed inductively and themes were constructed from the data. Fourteen interviews were conducted with patients and caregivers. Patients had a range of cancers and COPD. Three empirically developed themes demonstrate the complexities associated with the use of assistive equipment at the end of life: 1. Enabling engagement in everyday activities; 2. Dependency—a two-way street; 3. The pragmatics of choosing, using or declining assistive equipment. Participants were motivated to use assistive equipment when it optimised their function, enabled participation and supported their values, roles and interests. Conversely, use of assistive equipment could be met with ambivalence as it represented deterioration or could cause conflict within relationships. Caregivers found assistive equipment made it easier for them to provide physical care. Skilled proactive assistive equipment prescription and training by allied health professionals enhanced patient and caregiver confidence and capacity to engage in everyday activities.

Funding

Category 2 - Other Public Sector Grants Category

History

Volume

10

Issue

6

Start Page

1

End Page

13

Number of Pages

13

eISSN

2227-9032

ISSN

2227-9032

Publisher

MDPI AG

Publisher License

CC BY

Additional Rights

CC BY 4.0

Language

en

Peer Reviewed

  • Yes

Open Access

  • Yes

Acceptance Date

2022-05-27

Era Eligible

  • Yes

Medium

Electronic

Journal

Healthcare (Switzerland)

Article Number

1005

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