Abstract

ALPIZAR HERRERA, Juan Pablo. End-of-life palliative care in patients with terminal dementia. Rev. costarric. salud pública [online]. 2019, vol.28, n.1, pp.117-125. ISSN 1409-1429.

Dementia is a condition that typically involves a gradual and progressive deterioration of the cognition, behavior and functioning of an individual, to death. Palliative medicine assists patients who face progressive degenerative processes like this one and provides them with supplies to improve their quality of life, relieve their pain and support those who assist them; in an interdisciplinary and integral way until the end of his life. This work aims to briefly expose, through a review of current literature, knowledge and current theories about dementia as a terminal condition that requires palliative care; from a holistic perspective, focusing on the management and objectives of patient care with this condition, which brings together both the medical and the patient's vision, their support network and their environment. Dementia is described as a terminal condition that requires palliative care from the moment of diagnosis, the specific needs of the patient with this condition and the implications of their care, requiring a comprehensive approach and a clear, humanized and patient-centered approach to goals of care; that meet their needs, consider and respect their individuality and contemplate aspects such as their advanced wills.

Keywords : Palliative care; terminal dementia; end-of-life care; medical ethics.

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