Course Description:

As increasing numbers of our population face the challenges of living with severe, chronic and life threatening disease, the effective utilization of healthcare resources is a growing concern. Palliative care and Hospice are well recognized settings in which such care is provided, yet misconceptions abound regarding their appropriate use. These misconceptions prevent timely referrals, compelling patients to seek unnecessary, often painful treatments which limit their quality of life. This course will provide a comprehensive overview of palliative care and hospice, including the indications for admission, the services provided and the outcomes affected. In addition, end of life planning through advanced directives will be discussed. A primary goal of this course is empowering clinicians with the skills to provide appropriate end of life education to families and other healthcare providers, and most of all, to promote patient access to palliative care and hospice programs when indicated. Finally, this course will provide a brief overview of the physical therapist’s role in end of life care.