Comparing the cross-national impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on care received by community-dwelling older adults in 2020 and 2021: restoring formal home care versus polarizing informal care?

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the supply of formal and informal home care to older adults in many countries across the world. This study aims to compare the initial picture of how the supply of formal and informal home care to older adults in European countries and Israel changed during the first pandemic year (from mid-2020 to mid-2021) and to examine the changes that these countries made in the provision of adequate care to older adults. Using data from the two COVID-19 waves of SHARE, we show that the provision of formal home care services improved in the investigated period, as in 2021 the share of those who reported difficulties in receiving formal home care dropped significantly compared to the previous year. By contrast, informal care provision patterns experienced a growing polarization, with some countries continuing in reporting a strong support from this source, and others moving towards a remarkable reduction in the help coming from informal networks. These findings can serve as a basis for the development of evidence-based recommendations that can inform future care policies at the national level and to implement more sustainable models for older adults living in the community.

Association between COVID-19 vaccination and critical outcomes among older adults with dementia: a comparative cohort study.

Background: As COVID-19 vaccines became available, understanding their potential benefits in vulnerable populations has gained significance. This study explored the advantages of COVID-19 vaccination in individuals with cognitive disorders by analyzing health-related variables and outcomes. Methods: A prospective cohort study analyzed electronic medical records of 25,733 older adults with cognitive disorders and 65,544 older adults without cognitive disorders from March 2020 to February 2022. COVID-19 vaccination status was the primary exposure variable, categorized as fully vaccinated or unvaccinated. The primary outcomes measured were all-cause mortality and hospitalization rates within 14 and 400 days post-vaccination. Data on vaccination status, demographics, comorbidities, testing history, and clinical outcomes were collected from electronic health records. The study was ethically approved by the relevant medical facility's Institutional Review Board (0075-22-MHS). Results: Vaccinated individuals had significantly lower mortality rates in both groups. In the research group, the mortality rate was 52% (n = 1852) for unvaccinated individuals and 7% (n = 1,241) for vaccinated individuals (p < 0.001). Similarly, in the control group, the mortality rate was 13.58% (n = 1,508) for unvaccinated individuals and 1.85% (n = 936) for vaccinated individuals (p < 0.001), despite higher COVID-19 positivity rates. In the research group, 30.26% (n = 1,072) of unvaccinated individuals tested positive for COVID-19, compared to 37.16% (n = 6,492) of vaccinated individuals (p < 0.001). In the control group, 17.31% (n = 1922) of unvaccinated individuals were COVID-19 positive, while 37.25% (n = 18,873) of vaccinated individuals tested positive (p < 0.001). Vaccination also showed potential benefits in mental health support. The usage of antipsychotic drugs was lower in vaccinated individuals (28.43%, n = 4,967) compared to unvaccinated individuals (37.48%, n = 1,328; 95% CI [0.92-1.28], p < 0.001). Moreover, vaccinated individuals had lower antipsychotic drug prescription rates (23.88%, n = 4,171) compared to unvaccinated individuals (27.83%, n = 968; 95% CI [-1.02 to -0.63], p < 0.001). Vaccination appeared to have a positive impact on managing conditions like diabetes, with 38.63% (n = 6,748) of vaccinated individuals having diabetes compared to 41.55% (n = 1,472) of unvaccinated individuals (95% CI [0.24, 0.48], p < 0.001). Discussion: The findings highlight the importance of vaccination in safeguarding vulnerable populations during the pandemic and call for further research to optimize healthcare strategies for individuals with cognitive disorders.

Out-of-pocket expenditure on community healthcare services at end-of-life among decedents from cardiovascular disease in six European countries and Israel.

OBJECTIVES: Most people who develop chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), live in their homes in the community in their last year of life. Since cost-sharing is common in most countries, including those with universal health insurance, these people incur out of pocket expenditure (OOPE). The study aims to identify the prevalence and measure the size of OOPE among CVD decedents at end-of-life (EOL) explore differences among countries in OOPE, and examine whether the decedents' characteristics or their countries' health policy affects OOPE more. METHODS: SHARE data among people aged 50 + from seven European countries (including Israel) who died from CVD are analyzed. Decedents' family members are interviewed to learn about OOPE on their relatives' account. RESULTS: We identified 1,335 individuals who had died from CVD (average age 80.8 years, 54% men). More than half of CVD-decedent people spend OOPE on community services at EOL and their expenditure varies widely among countries. About one-third of people in France and Spain had OOPE, rising to around two-thirds in Israel and Italy and almost all in Greece. The average OOPE is 391.9 PPT, with wide variance across countries. Significant odds of OOPE exist in the country variable only, and significant differences exist in the amount of OOPE among countries and duration of illness preceding death. CONCLUSIONS: Since improving CVD care efficiency and effectiveness are key aims, healthcare policymakers should broaden the investigation into expanding public funding for community services in order to mitigate OOPE, alleviate the economic burden on households, mitigate forgoing of community services due to price, and reduce rehospitalization.

Advance Care Planning and Attainment of Cancer Patients' End-of-Life Preferences: Relatives' Perspective.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to determine which element of advance care planning (ACP) - an advance directives (AD) document or an end-of-life discussion between patient and family (DwF), if any-improves the likelihood of cancer patients' attaining their preferences regarding treatments in the last month of life and dying in the place they prefer. METHODS: First-degree relatives of deceased cancer patients, interviewed by telephone, were asked if the treatments the patients received in their last month of life and their place of death corresponded to the patients' preferences. Nominal logistic regression analyses were conducted in search of significant association between having an AD document and/or conducting a DwF and patients' treatment and place of death in accordance with their preferences. RESULTS: 491 deceased patients were included in the study. Their average age was 68; 52% were women. According to 32% of the relatives, the patients' treatment in the last month of life was aligned with their preferences and 55% said the patients had died in their preferred place. Only 16.5% had an AD document, 58.5% only discussed their treatment preferences with relatives, and 25% did neither. DwF and ability to speak until last week of life were significantly related to receiving treatment consistent with patients' preferences. Dying where the patient prefers is significantly associated with having an AD and a DwF, with an AD yielding higher odds. CONCLUSION: A multifaceted interconnection exists between the two elements of ACP in attaining cancer patients' wishes and abetting better end of life care.

Perceived deterioration in health status among older adults in Europe and Israel following the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges in providing medical care for people with health conditions other than COVID-19. The study aims to assess the prevalence of older adults' reportage of decline in health relative to pre-pandemic and to identify its determinants. The study is based on the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) data collected during the pandemic. It comprised 51,778 people in twenty-seven European countries and Israel. Participants were asked about changes in their health status relative to pre-pandemic. Bivariate analysis and logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with worsening of health. Nine percent of people (average age 70 years) reported a worsening of health relative to pre-pandemic. A logistic regression revealed a significant relation of the probability of a downturn in health to forgoing, postponing, or being denied an appointment for medical care. Multiple chronic illnesses, developing COVID-19, having at least one form of psychosocial distress, higher age, and lower economic capacity were also found significantly related to the probability of a decline in health. Older adults' comprehensive health needs must be addressed even when healthcare services are under strain due to pandemic outbreaks. Policymakers should attend to the healthcare needs of people whose vulnerability to the pandemic is amplified by chronic health conditions and low socioeconomic status. Public healthcare systems may experience a massive rebound of demand for health care, a challenge that should be mitigated by delivery of healthcare services and the provision of the financial resources that they need.

The Contribution of Frailty to Participation of Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: Participation, which is involvement in life situations, is an important indicator of human health and well-being of older adults. Frailty is known to be related to difficulties in activities of daily living (ADL) but the association with participation restriction has not been sufficiently researched. Therefore, we aimed to (1) to assess the correlations between frailty, ADL, and participation; and (2) to identify the contribution of frailty to explaining the participation restriction of older adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional study included home visits to community-dwelling older adults aged 75 and older. The Reintegration to Normal Living Index (RNL-I) assessed participation, PRISMA-7 assessed frailty, and the Functional Independence Measure and IADL questionnaire assessed the basic and instrumental ADL. Cognition, which may explain participation, was also assessed (The Montreal Cognitive Assessment) and demographic information was collected. RESULTS: Older adults (N = 121, 60 women), aged 75 to 91 years (mean (SD)-79.6 (3.1)), were included. Older adults demonstrated full to restricted participation (RNL-I-mean (SD)-78.2 (18.0)/100). Frailty was identified in 39 (32%) older adults (mean (SD) PRISMA-7-2.9 (1.4)/7points). A negative moderate significant correlation was found between participation and frailty (r = -0.634, p < 0.001). The variance of participation was significantly explained by frailty, 31.5%, and basic ADL, 5.6% (after controlling for age and cognition); the total model explained 44.6% (F = 23.29, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Frailty is significantly associated with participation restriction. Since participation has many health benefits, understanding which factors are associated to participation is central to developing interventions for older adults. These findings may help health professionals in the future develop interventions for maintaining and promoting the participation of older adults.

Understanding out-of-pocket spending and financial hardship among patients who succumb to cancer and their caregivers.

BACKGROUND: In most countries, including those with national health insurance or comprehensive public insurance, some expenses for cancer treatment are borne by the ill and their families. OBJECTIVES: This study aims to identify the areas of out-of-pocket (OOP) spending in the last half-year of the lives of cancer patients and examine the extent of that spending; to examine the probability of OOP spending according to patients' characteristics; and to examine the financial burden on patients' families. METHODS: 491 first-degree relatives of cancer patients (average age: 70) who died 3-6 months before the study were interviewed by telephone. They were asked about their OOP payments during the last-half year of the patient's life, the nature of each payment, and whether it had imposed a financial burden on them. A logistic regression and ordered logit models were used to estimate the probability of OOP expenditure and the probability of financial burden, respectively. RESULTS: Some 84% of cancer patients and their relatives incurred OOP expenses during the last half-year of the patient's life. The average levels of expenditure were US$5800on medicines, $8000 on private caregivers, and $2800 on private nurses. The probability of paying OOP for medication was significantly higher among patients who were unable to remain alone at home and those who were less able to make ends meet. The probability of spending OOP on a private caregiver or private nurse was significantly higher among those who were incapacitated, unable to remain alone, had neither medical nor nursing-care insurance, and were older. The probability of a financial burden due to OOP was higher among those unable to remain alone, the incapacitated, and those without insurance, and lower among those with above-average income, those with better education, and patients who died at home. CONCLUSIONS: The study yields three main insights. First, it is crucial that oncology services provide cancer patients with detailed information about their entitlements and refer them to the National Insurance Institute so that they can exercise those rights. Second, oncologists should relate to the financial burden associated with OOP care at end of life. Finally, it is important to sustain the annual increase in budgeting for technologies and pharmaceuticals in Israel and to allocate a significant proportion of those funds to the addition new cancer treatments to the benefits package; this can alleviate the financial burden on patients who need such treatments and their families.

Out-of-Pocket Spending for Cancer Medication, Financial Burden, and Cost Communication with Oncologists in the Last Six Months of Life in Israel.

Honest communication between oncologists and patients is important in alleviating the financial burden of cancer care. This study explored patient-relative-oncologist communication regarding the affordability of out-of-pocket (OOP) medication and the extent to which this communication addresses itself to the families' financial burden. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among primary caregivers of deceased cancer patients. About 43% of relatives said that they and/or the patients had paid out of pocket for medications during the last six months of the patient's life. Most (73%) oncologists suggested an OOP medication without asking about financial ability, 43% hardly explained the advantages of an OOP medication, and 52% hardly explained any treatment alternatives. Older age and female gender were related to less communication about an OOP medication, and better education, greater affluence, and having private health insurance were related to more communication. About 56% of relatives said that OOP payment for medications inflicted a very heavy or heavy financial burden on patients and their households. Physicians' interest in financial ability and giving explanation lightened the burden. Given the difficulty of explaining the complex interactions of cost and clinical outcomes, oncologists need to be better educated in skills that would enable them to communicate costs more openly and should consider the cost of a treatment when prescribing it.

Out-of-pocket spending of deceased cancer patients in five European countries and Israel.

OBJECTIVE: Cancer imposes a substantial economic burden on society, health and social care systems, patients and their families. This study aims to examine the out-of-pocket spending of cancer patients in their last year of life, in six countries with health insurance system hat have a defined benefits package. METHODS: Data from SHARE and SHARE End-of-Life surveys among people aged +50 were analysed. Family members of deceased persons were interviewed in order to learn about the circumstances of their relative's death. RESULTS: The average out-of-pocket spending for health and social services during the last year of life was 4.5% of the total household income, 2.2% in the Netherlands, 4.3% in Israel, 5% in Germany, 5.1% in Austria, 5.1% in Belgium and 8.2% in Switzerland. Whereas the out-of-pocket spending on nursing home care was 7.8% of the total household income in Switzerland, in the Netherlands and in Israel it was negligible. In contrast, the out-of-pocket spending for home care due to disability surged to 5.6% in Israel and 3.7% in Austria, whereas in other countries it was very low. CONCLUSION: This information is important to health and social policymakers, in order to better adapt the benefits package to the patients' needs.

Is Pain Assessment of Community-Dwelling Persons With Advanced Dementia by Family and Paid Care Workers Feasible?

CONTEXT: The experience of pain is aggravated among older persons with advanced dementia (OPAD). It is often undetected and therefore untreated because of their limited capacity to identify and report their symptoms. Therefore, it is crucial to improve the pain identification skills of those who know and live with them. OBJECTIVES: To compare the identification of pain among OPAD between family members and paid care workers and to compare the detection of pain through the use of two common assessment tools. METHODS: This study is a cross-sectional comparison conducted between 82 dyads of informants: the family member of OPAD and the paid care worker, a total of 164 individuals. MEASUREMENTS: The study used two previously validated pain assessment tools for persons suffering from dementia: the Pain Assessment in Noncommunicative Elderly persons tool (PAINE) and Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia tool (PAINAD), and a general impression question. RESULTS: Both family members and paid care workers were able to successfully use both tools. The correlation between family members' ratings and paid care workers' ratings was statistically significant for all the assessments. The correlations between raters were higher when family members lived with the OPAD. The correlations between PAINE and PAINAD scores were moderate and significant, both among family members and paid care workers. CONCLUSION: This study shows that it is feasible to improve the assessment and identification of pain among OPAD, through the use of validated tools by family members and paid care workers, suggesting the potential to improve quality of care and quality of life of OPAD.

Depressive symptoms and use of health services among older adults in Israel.

OBJECTIVES: Depressive symptoms are often undetected, particularly among older adults. The purpose of this study is to provide information on the prevalence, characteristics, and patterns of depressive symptoms among older adults residing in the community in Israel, and their health-care utilization. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a random sample of 2502 members of one HMO in Israel, aged 65+. They were interviewed by telephone with the GDS-15 scale, which serves as the gold standard for depressive symptoms. Data from the computerized medical records of the HMO were added to the interview file, including the diagnosis of depression, purchase of antidepressant medication and use of services. RESULTS: The average age of respondents was 73; 54% were women. They tended to be older, living alone, suffering from falls and from sleep disorders, and to have poor subjective health status. 24% scored 6+ on the GDS scale. A significant association was found between a GDS score of 6+ and increased hospitalizations, visits to the emergency room and/or to family physicians and specialists. CONCLUSION: We found a high prevalence of depression. Its negative effects on the individual and increased costs to the health system, supports the screening and treatment of the disease in the older population. This problem should be a national priority, with screening and treatment becoming part of the national quality of care indicators which would then be implemented by the HMOs as part of an integrated disease management program for the elderly.

Musculoskeletal Pain Medication Use in Middle Age and Older Adults in 15 European Countries and Israel.

BACKGROUND: The experience of musculoskeletal pain is widespread among adults and entails high costs to both individuals and society. Few studies look at disparities in pain management. AIMS: To examine factors associated with the presence of musculoskeletal pain and the use of pain medication use among individuals aged 50+. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis of data from the SHARE. PARTICIPANTS: 64,281 community-dwelling individuals in 15 European countries and Israel. METHODS: Bivariate analysis and logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with the presence of musculoskeletal pain and pain medication use. RESULTS: Among our population, the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain at the time of the survey was 40.1%. Women had more pain than men (odds ratio [OR] = 1.477, confidence interval [CI] = 1.428-1.528), those who were 60-69 years old had less pain than younger individuals (OR = 0.927, CI = 0.883-0.973), whereas those who were 80+ years old had more pain than younger individuals (OR = 1.280, CI = 1.199-1.367). About 50% of those with musculoskeletal pain take no medication to manage it. Predictors of pain medication use include male sex (OR = 1.468, CI = 1.389-1.553), more education (OR = 1.034, CI = 1.023-1.041), and better ability to cope economically (OR = 1.446, CI = 1.368-1.527). Those over 70 are less likely than younger individuals to be taking medication to manage their pain (70-79: OR = 0.822, CI = 0.761-0.887), (80+: OR = 0.619, CI = 0.566-0.677). CONCLUSIONS: Nurses should be aware of the association of education and income with pain-medication use, which suggests that pain medication use is less accessible to those with fewer resources. Pain is a significant public-health problem, and access to medicine deserves attention from nurses, healthcare workers and policymakers.

Multidisciplinary staff perspectives on the integration of spiritual care in a new setting: Israel.

OBJECTIVE: Integrating spiritual care into multidisciplinary care teams has seen both successful thoughtful collaboration and challenges, including feelings of competition and poor cross-disciplinary understanding. In Israel, where the profession is new, we aimed to examine how spiritual care is perceived by other healthcare professionals learning to integrate spiritual caregivers into their teams. METHOD: Semi-structured qualitative interviews of 19 professionals (seven physicians, six nurses, three social workers, two psychologists, and one medical secretary) working with spiritual caregivers in three Israeli hospitals, primarily in oncology/hematology. The interviews were transcribed and subjected to thematic analysis. RESULTS: Respondents' overall experience with adding a spiritual caregiver was strongly positive. Beneficial outcomes described included calmer patients and improved patient-staff relationships. Respondents identified reasons for a referral not limited to the end of life. Respondents distinguished between the role of the spiritual caregiver and those of other professions and, in response to case studies, differentiated when and how each professional should be involved. CONCLUSION: Despite its relative newness in Israel, spiritual care is well received by a wide variety of professionals at those sites where it has been integrated. Steps to improve collaboration should include improving multidisciplinary communication to broaden the range of situations in which spiritual caregivers and other professionals work together to provide the best possible holistic care.

Correction to: home hospice for older people with advanced dementia: a pilot project.

.

Home hospice for older people with advanced dementia: a pilot project.

BACKGROUND: Dementia is a terminal illness making the palliative and hospice approach to care appropriate for older people with advanced dementia. OBJECTIVE: To examine clinical and health services outcomes of a quality improvement pilot project to provide home hospice care for older people with advanced dementia. STUDY DESIGN: Twenty older people with advanced dementia being treated in the Maccabi Healthcare Services homecare program, received home hospice care as an extension of their usual care for 6-7 months (or until they died) from a multidisciplinary team who were available 24/7. Family members were interviewed using validated questionnaires about symptom management, satisfaction with care, and caregiver burden. Hospitalizations prevented and medications discontinued, were determined by medical record review and team consensus. FINDINGS: The findings are based on 112 months of care with an average of 5.6 (SD 1.6) months per participant. The participants were on average 83.5 (SD 8.6) years old, 70% women, in homecare for 2.8 (SD 2.0) years, had dementia for 5.6 (SD 3.6) years with multiple comorbidities, and had been hospitalized for an average of 14.0 (SD 18.1) days in the year prior to the project. Four patients were fed via artificial nutrition. During the pilot project, 4 patients died, 2 patients withdrew, 1 patient was transferred to a nursing home and 13 returned to their usual homecare program. The home hospice program lead to significant (p < 0.001)improvement in: symptom management (score of 33.8 on admission on the Volicer symptom management scale increased to 38.3 on discharge), in satisfaction with care (27.5 to 35.3,), and a significant decline in caregiver burden (12.1 to 1.4 on the Zarit Burden index). There were five hospitalizations, and 33 hospitalizations prevented, and an average of 2.1(SD 1.4) medications discontinued per participant. Family members reported that the professionalism and 24/7 availability of the staff provided the added value of the program. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot quality improvement project suggests that home hospice care for older people with advanced dementia can improve symptom management and caregiver satisfaction, while decreasing caregiver burden, preventing hospitalizations and discontinuing unnecessary medications. Identifying older people with advanced dementia with a 6 month prognosis remains a major challenge.

Sociodemographic inequality in joint-pain medication use among community-dwelling older adults in Israel.

Joint pain is a common experience among adults aged 65 and over. Although pain management is multifaceted, medication is essential in it. The paper examines the use of medication among older adults with joint pain in Israel and asks whether socioeconomic factors are associated with this usage. The data, harvested, from the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE), include 1,294 randomly selected community-dwelling individuals aged 65 and over in Israel. Bivariate analysis and logistic regression are used to identify factors associated with the presence of joint pain medication use. About 38% of respondents report experiencing joint pain and 45% of those who so report are not taking prescription medication. Back pain is the most common location, reported by 64% of individuals who report joint pain. Taking medication is independently associated with younger age (OR = 0.965, 95% CI = 0.939-0.991), more education (OR = 1.044, 95% CI = 0.998-1.091), and better ability to cope economically (OR = 1.964, 95% CI = 1.314-2.936). However, older age and ability to cope economically are independently associated with women (OR = 0.964, 95% CI = 0.932-0.998 and OR = 2.438, 95% CI = 1.474-4.032, respectively) but not with men. It is suggested that socioeconomic inequality exists in healthcare access among adults aged 65 and over. Since income and gender are strongly associated with taking pain medication, physicians should follow-up on women and less affluent people to ensure that medication prescribed has been obtained. Policymakers should consider programs that would facilitate better access to pain medication among vulnerable older individuals.

Dementia care in Israel: top down and bottom up processes.

Dementia is one of the main causes of disability among older adults and is viewed as one of the most distressing and devastating of conditions. Dementia has a profound impact on those who suffer from the disease and on their family caregivers. In this article, we describe the added benefit of implementing top-down and bottom-up strategies in the process of influencing and developing healthcare services. We use Israel as an example to argue that breakthroughs in care implementation and development of services are more likely to occur when there is a convergence of top-down and bottom-up processes. In the first section of the article, we present the top-down plans, initiated to address the needs of people with dementia and their families. In the second section, we present examples of bottom-up projects that developed in Israel before and after the top-down plans were initiated. In the third section, we contend that it is the combination of these top-down and bottom-up strategies that led to a breakthrough and the expansion of services for people with dementia and their families, and we argue that the Israeli case study is applicable to other health systems.

Implementation of a structured communication tool improves family satisfaction and expectations in the intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Intensive care unit (ICU) physicians should provide relatives of critically ill patients with appropriate and clear information, regarding prognosis, treatment options and expectations. OBJECTIVES: To assess whether a structured communication tool improves satisfaction with care and engenders realistic expectations among relatives of critically ill patients. STUDY DESIGN: A controlled, pre-post intervention design was implemented in the General and Medical ICUs in the Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel. METHODS: Forty relatives of patients who received usual communication from the medical staff (control group) were interviewed. We then implemented a structured communication tool and another forty family members were interviewed (intervention group). The ICU physicians who participated in the family meeting were also interviewed. RESULTS: Satisfaction in the intervention group was higher regarding ease of obtaining the information (90% vs 70%, p = .025) and the consistency of information provided (92.5% vs 77.5%, p = .057). There was better correlation between physicians' and relatives' expectations in the intervention group regarding hospital survival (Kappa 0.322 vs 0.054, p = .01). Physicians predicted more accurately patients' actual hospital survival. CONCLUSIONS: A structured communication tool was associated with improved family satisfaction with communication and expectations regarding hospital survival. Further research is required to evaluate this promising intervention.

Implementation of Advance Care Planning in Israel: A Convergence of Top-Down and Bottom-Up Processes.

Although public health has traditionally been concerned with primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention, more attention needs to be focused on patient-centered care at the end of life. Improved access to quality end-of-life care can be achieved by advance care planning (ACP). In this article, we present an example of the processes of change regarding ACP and preparing advance directives (ADs) that have begun to take place in Israel in recent years. We argue that these processes derive from the synergy between legislation on the one hand, and initiatives and action by health organizations on the other. In other words, top-down action such as legislation and directives issued by the Ministry of Health in the past decade, alongside bottom-up action in the health plans and other organizations, have led to change that could not have happened without either side. In the first part of the article, we present Israel's Dying Patient Act and its ensuing amendments and in the second part, we present examples of activities in the health services. In the third part of the article, we discuss the argument that it is only thanks to the combination of top-down and bottom-up action that a breakthrough has been achieved.

[FROM PASTORAL CARE TO SPIRITUAL CARE - TRANSFORMING THE CONCEPTION OF THE ROLE OF THE SPIRITUAL CARE PROVIDER].

INTRODUCTION: Spirituality is a difficult concept to define, one that is often understood differently by different cultures and religious communities. Illness constitutes a dramatic change in the ongoing flow and norms of a person's life, raising questions of the value or meaning of life, questions of self-worth, and questions of forgiveness, to ourselves and others. The profession of spiritual care comes to provide support in these areas. Originally focused on religious care, the profession has shifted to providing care for general spiritual well-being, where professionals care for all patients regardless of religion. This survey presents the impact of spiritual well-being on patients in times of serious illness, as distinct from religious well-being, and the role of the spiritual care provider in supporting patients who are in spiritual distress. Studies demonstrate the connection between spiritual or religious well-being and various clinical measures for advanced illness. Studies of spiritual well-being, as distinct from religious well-being, found a direct connection between higher spiritual well-being and reduced depression and despair among cancer and AIDS patients and improved survival rates among patients with congestive heart failure. Religious struggle has been found to correlate with lowered survival rates for hospitalized elderly patients, and with more prolonged hospital stays among patients with congestive heart failure. Negative religious coping has been found to correlate with depression, anxiety, and decreased quality of life among patients undergoing bone-marrow transplants, cancer patients, and patients with end-stage renal disease. In order to integrate the spiritual care provider into the multidisciplinary hospital team, a model has been proposed for staff to perform a short spiritual history at intake relating to patients' beliefs and the importance they hold for the patient. The staff person learns to be attentive to key points indicating a referral to spiritual care. Spiritual needs addressed by the spiritual care provider may include aligning care plans with patients' values, promoting a sense of peace, lessening isolation, and enabling mourning. In Israel, spiritual care is a new profession, not carrying with it the baggage of earlier models which limited this profession to religious leaders, a fact which enables better integration of the spiritual care provider into the multidisciplinary staff.