[Advance directives and advance care planning]. / Planification du projet thérapeutique et directives anticipées dans la prise en soins palliative.

Advance directives (AD) and Advance Care Planning (ACP) are two measures a person may undertake to assure that their treatment preferences will be respected until the end of his / her life. Anticipation is based on an open and honest communication between the patient, the durable medical power of attorney and the health care professionals. ADs and ACPs are based on a person's values and beliefs that are important to his quality of life. ACP is a continuing process, initiated by health care professionals and integrated into the health care plan of a person. It should be adjusted all along the disease trajectory and favors communication and anticipation in the health care network. ADs are often a personal initiative to ensure one's wishes in relation to health issues. In Switzerland, they are based on a legal framework and their application is therefore mandatory for health care professionals.

Les directives anticipées (DA) et la planification anticipée du projet thérapeutique (PAPT) permettent d'établir les préférences et souhaits d'une personne en lien avec des soins thérapeutiques. L'élaboration du projet de soins repose sur la communication entre le patient, son proche de confiance et les professionnels de la santé. La qualité de vie et les valeurs de la personne sont les éléments clés de la construction de la PAPT et des DA. La PAPT est un processus qui s'adapte au fur et à mesure de la prise en soins. Elle est relayée et transmise dans un souci de coordination, d'anticipation au fil des épisodes de santé à domicile et / ou en milieu hospitalier. Les DA émanent d'une démarche personnelle le plus souvent et ont une base légale et contractuelle pour les professionnels de la santé.

Hypnosis can reduce pain in hospitalized older patients: a randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain is a common and serious health problem in older patients. Treatment often includes non pharmacological approaches despite a relatively modest evidence base in this population. Hypnosis has been used in younger adults with positive results. The main objective of this study was to measure the feasibility and efficacy of hypnosis (including self hypnosis) in the management of chronic pain in older hospitalized patients. METHODS: A single center randomized controlled trial using a two arm parallel group design (hypnosis versus massage). Inclusion criteria were chronic pain for more than 3 months with impact on daily life activities, intensity of > 4; adapted analgesic treatment; no cognitive impairment. Brief pain inventory was completed. RESULTS: Fifty-three patients were included (mean age: 80.6 ± 8.2--14 men; 26 hypnosis; 27 massage. Pain intensity decreased significantly in both groups after each session. Average pain measured by the brief pain index sustained a greater decrease in the hypnosis group compared to the massage group during the hospitalisation. This was confirmed by the measure of intensity of the pain before each session that decreased only in the hypnosis group over time (P = 0.008). Depression scores improved significantly over the time only in the hypnosis group (P = 0.049). There was no effect in either group 3 months post hospitals discharge. DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSION: Hypnosis represents a safe and valuable tool in chronic pain management of hospitalized older patients. In hospital interventions did not provide long term post discharge relief. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ISRCTN15615614; registered 2/1/2015.

Preferences of elderly cancer patients in their advance directives.

Efforts to improve the quality of end-of-life decision-making have emphasized the principle of individual autonomy to better ensure that patients receive care consistent with their preferences. Advance directives (ADs) can be vehicles for in-depth and ongoing discussions among health care professionals, patients, and families. The aim of our study was to identify preferences and values expressed in ADs of 50 elderly patients with cancer. Main concerns of the patients were resuscitation and introduction of artificial nutrition. Very few patients had unrealistic expectation. Preferences about patient's symptom management were quite different from one to another. Content of ADs not only involved life-sustaining technology, but also psychosocial items and religious beliefs and values. All patients designated at least one surrogate. In conclusion, ADs should not be considered simply as another questionnaire, but more as a process to improve communication.

[Advance directives in palliative care units]. / Directives anticipées dans les unités de soins palliatifs.

Patients with advanced illness and their caregivers request information at all stages of the disease process. They experience fear of pain, of indignity, of abandonment and of the unknown. Open and direct discussions can ease many of these fears. Advance directives may be useful tools to improve communication and satisfaction with decision-making at the end-of-life. Each patient hospitalized in palliative care unit should be informed about advances directives and be encouraged to complete them. However, it is of importance to respect patients' pace and to accept that some may not want to be involved in such process.