Palliative Care Intervention for End-of-life Patients with Non-cancerous Respiratory Diseases.

Abstract

While palliative care for patients with cancer is actively performed, it is provided only occasionally for patients with chronic non-cancerous respiratory diseases. This is due to various factors, including the fact that palliative care is not covered by health insurance and the difficulty in determining end-of-life in these patients. This paper presents two case studies to highlight the significance of palliative care team intervention for patients in the terminal stage of chronic non-cancerous respiratory diseases. Palliative care is essential to support physical problems, such as dyspnea, as well as mental disorders, such as depression, and to provide nutrition therapy and rehabilitation. To achieve care at the appropriate time in accordance with the patient's wishes, it is essential for patients to understand and accept the progress and deterioration of their disease and prepare for the end of life at an earlier stage under multidisciplinary involvement (advance care planning).