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Updated February 17, 2005
The Center for Gerontologic Nursing Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing,
Philadelphia, PA, collaborates with Genesis Elder Care, the nation's third largest long-term care provider, to evaluate a palliative care program to enhance the care provided to nursing home residents at the end of life.
Six Genesis nursing homes are participating in the project called "Palliative Care in Nursing Homes". Two nursing homes serve as control sites, providing care at a level above industry standards. At another two nursing homes, all staff receives training in the concepts and practice of palliative care, emphasizing comfort as well as psychological, social and spiritual well being. Another two nursing homes complement this training with a team of palliative care professionals whose members focus on controlling symptoms and improving the patient's quality of life.
The program studies the effect of the training and these special services on patents' and families' experiences as well as on the clinical outcomes and cost of care.
Once these outcomes are determined, the program will be considered for implementation in nursing homes throughout the Genesis system, and potentially in other nursing homes throughout the United States.
This innovative approach to improving the quality of life for long-term care patients and their loved ones is under the direction of Neville Strumpf, PhD, RN, C, FAAN of the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, and Howard Tuch, MD, medical director of Genesis Elder Care.
Promoting Excellence in End-of-Life Care is a national program of The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation dedicated to long-term changes in health care institutions to substantially improve care for dying people and their families. Visit PromotingExcellence.org for more resources.
