1st Edition

Perspectives on Behavioural Interventions in Palliative and End-of-Life Care

    162 Pages 3 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    162 Pages 3 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    The challenges faced by individuals and families at the end of life are still incredibly diverse, and many behavioural interventions and clinical approaches have been developed to address this great diversity of experiences in the face of dying and death, helping providers to care for their clients. Perspectives on Behavioural Interventions in Palliative and End-of-Life Care is an accessible resource that collates and explores interventions that can be used to address a wide range of behavioural, psychological, social and spiritual issues that arise when people are facing advanced chronic or life-limiting illness.

    With perspectives from experienced clinicians, providers, and caregivers from around the world, this book offers a strong foundation in contemporary evidence-based practice alongside seasoned practice insights from the field. Its chapters explore:

    • Interventions to enhance communication and decision making
    • The management of physical and mental health symptoms
    • Meaning-Centred Psychotherapy for cancer patients
    • Dignity Therapy
    • Interventions embracing cultural diversity and intersectionality.

    Together with Perspectives on Palliative and End-of-Life Care: Disease, Social and Cultural Context, the book provides a foundation for collaborative international and interprofessional work by providing state-of science information on behavioural interventions addressing mental health and wellness. It is of interest to academics, researchers and postgraduates in the fields of mental health, medicine, psychology and social work, and is essential reading for healthcare providers and trainees from psychosocial and palliative medicine, social work and nursing.

    Chapter 1: The International Context of Behavioural Palliative and End-of-Life Care: Biopsychosocial and Lifespan Perspectives 

    Chapter 2: Interventions to Enhance Communication and Decision Making in the Context of Serious Illness 

    Chapter 3: Behavioural Management of Physical and Psychological Symptoms in Palliative Care 

    Chapter 4: Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy for Cancer Patients with Advanced and Terminal Illness 

    Chapter 5: Dignity Therapy 

    Chapter 6: Cultural Diversity and Intersectionality in the End-of-Life Experience  

    Chapter 7: Similarities and Differences in Behavioural Interventions and Impact on Mental Health and Wellness in Palliative and End-of-Life

    Biography

    Rebecca S. Allen is Professor of Psychology at the Alabama Research Institute on Aging and the Department of Psychology, the University of Alabama, USA.

    Brian D. Carpenter is Professor of Psychological & Brain Sciences, Washington University, St. Louis, USA.

    Morgan K. Eichorst is a clinical psychologist working within the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, USA.

    "This is a unique book that provides a state of the art review of behavioural interventions to improve decision-making, communication, and well-being in patients and families facing advanced illness. Its emphasis on biopsychosocial and spiritual dimensions, and inclusion of both practical clinical issues and evidence is exemplary. There is outstanding attention to diverse populations, including LGBT and cultural issues, and case studies provide vivid examples. This is the best book I have read on the topic, and one I will include in my graduate courses on coping with chronic illness and psychotherapy with older adults."

    William E. Haley, PhD, Professor, School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida.

    "For psychologists, chaplains, social work clinicians and whole health therapists, this foundational text is a welcome contribution. The authors lay out what is known, and where gaps remain in our palliative care psychosocial treatment repertoire. The thought-provoking and realistic vignettes encourage us to review across multiple dimensions for assessment and treatment planning. This will be required reading in our psychology palliative care training library!"

    Elizabeth Goy Ph.D., Psychology Palliative Care Fellowship Supervisor, VA Portland Health Care System; Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine.

    "There is a good discussion of a range of interventions designed to enhance communication and decision-making, which provided a neat summary and assessment of each. I suspect that psychologists may remain under-represented, and that means that the rest of us (doctors, nurses, social workers and others) will have to continue doing the best that we can with psychological issues. This book provides a reasonably detailed but succinct review of the problems and any member of the team will be better off for having read it."

    Roger Woodruff, hospicecare.com Newsletter.