Families and caregivers often face difficult decisions about medical treatments when it comes to taking care of patients with dementia, and making those decisions can be overwhelming.
Dr. Laura Hanson is a Professor of Geriatric Medicine in 黑料网鈥檚 Department of Medicine, and the Co-Director of 黑料网鈥檚 Palliative Care Program. She recently led a clinical trial testing a video decision aid to help families make these difficult choices — often called 鈥済oals of care decisions.鈥� The study found that the video, combined with guides to talking with nursing home providers, resulted in more agreement about treatment choices and more palliative care options. These frail patients went to the hospital half as often, with no harmful effects. Dr. Hanson says identifying specific 鈥済oals of care鈥� will help caregivers choose the best path of treatment for a person with advanced dementia.
In a recent interview with Neurology Today, Dr. Hanson explains how her research, first published in , aims to measure and improve the quality of healthcare for older patients. To read the full article, go to: .
To see Dr. Hanson鈥檚 video and learn about her research, go to: Goals of Care.