| [ Summary ] |
Holistic medicine (biopsychological medicine) emphasizes the person as a complete being and the combination of human mind, body, and spirit. Owing to decreased levels of activities of daily living (ADL) in elderly dialysis patients and an increased number of patients who require high-level care, a suitable medical environment with the required level of care, is needed. In addition, the reasons for which patients visit the hospital for maintenance hemodialysis needs to be considered. In dialysis patients, the frequency of cognitive impairment is high and the compliance to drug treatment is poor. Eating disorders and aspiration pneumonitis in patients undergoing hemodialysis can compromise the prognosis and survival. However, if the cognitive impairment is discovered early, dialysis patients can plan their visit to the outpatient dementia department and integrate their treatment care plans into their daily lives. Therefore, dialysis patients with decreased ADL and impaired cognitive abilities need quality care with a patient-centric focus from various professionals with different specialties. |