| Theme | The management of the end of life in hemodialysis patients | |
|---|---|---|
| Title | End-of-life care for patients undergoing home-based peritoneal dialysis | |
| Publish Date | 2018/09 | |
| Author | Makoto Hiramatsu | Center for Kidney and Diabetic Diseases, Okayama Saiseikai General Hospital |
| Author | Hiroka Owaki | Center for Kidney and Diabetic Diseases, Okayama Saiseikai General Hospital |
| Author | Hiroko Mikami | Center for Kidney and Diabetic Diseases, Okayama Saiseikai General Hospital |
| Author | Keisuke Maruyama | Center for Kidney and Diabetic Diseases, Okayama Saiseikai General Hospital |
| [ Summary ] | Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is primarily a home-based medical therapy. In a super-aging society, an elderly patient is the primary target of dialysis. Several elderly patients wish to spend their terminal phase at home in a familiar environment in which they have spent long years of their life, preparing for death -- the ultimate and inevitable event of life. PD therapy is suitable for elderly patients with multiple complications, comorbidities, frailty, and dementia. PD therapy enables an elderly patient to live life naturally until the end. Effective end-of-life care requires teamwork between the elderly patient, his/her family, and the person in charge of medical and nursing care. Providing holistic end-of-life care is a noble act for medical staff. End-of-life care is to be present during life until death and not only at the moment of death. | |