Synopses of a selection of recently published research articles of relevance to palliative care

摘要

Meeting the needs of young adults with life-limiting conditions: a UK survey of current provision and future challenges for hospices Throughout the world there is an increasing number of young adults with life-limiting conditions and/or complex needs which are degenerative, progressive and involve the management of a number of nursing and patient issues. In England there are 55 721 young adults (aged 18-40) in this patient group, and the numbers are predicted to increase. Hospices are experiencing demands to extend services to include this population, despite concerns about the appropriateness of adult hospices in providing care for young adults. Evidence suggests a lack of appropriate short breaks or respite care provision for young adults in hospices is putting pressure on the hospice sector to adapt their services to meet this need. This is coupled with concerns about the appropriateness of adult hospices and their proficiency in providing care for these types of patients, who often have complex and unfamiliar conditions.