Findings suggest that the nursing home environment in these two facilities, as now structured, is an inappropriate setting for end-of-life care.

No abstract

No abstract

The purpose of this study is to describe the symptom experience of adult patients hospitalized in medical/surgical units, to examine the relationship between demographic characteristics and symptom experience, and to explore the relationship between symptom severity and symptom distress. Utilizing the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS), patients (n=334) were asked to convey the presence or absence of each of 31 symptoms, the severity of the symptoms, and the degree to which the symptoms distressed or bothered them. Higher levels of symptom distress were found in women and in those who were unpartnered. The average number of symptoms reported per patient was 9.31 (SD=5.15), with a mean symptom distress rating of 1.8 (SD=0.84) and a mean symptom severity rating of 1.65 (SD=0.83) on a 1-5 scale. The correlation between reports of symptom severity and symptom distress varied greatly by symptom, ranging from r=0.37 to r=0.82. This is the first study to examine the symptom prevalence, severity, and distress of hospitalized medical/surgical patients. The large sample size allowed for the detection of demographic differences in the reporting of symptom distress, and advances the current knowledge in the area.

For the many older adults living in long-term care facilities, the ability to connect with others, as well as with one's own personal past, may be of particular value. Reflecting on the past and sharing reminiscences with others serves different psychosocial functions in various settings. This study examined the functions of reminiscence for long-term care residents in the United States (M = 86.5) by addressing the self-reported frequency of reminiscence, the counterparties involved, the overall purpose and value of reminiscence, and the relation to residents' mental health and well-being. Results demonstrated that although some functions of reminiscence were comparable to those found in community-dwelling older adults, others were unique to the long-term care setting. Residents were most likely to reminisce alone and they found the experience enjoyable. They reported engaging in and enjoying reminiscence with family more than with fellow residents, and a subset desired increased opportunities to share memories with healthcare providers. Residents with lower morale and more depressive symptoms were more likely to engage in unhealthy styles of reminiscence. These findings suggest that interventions shaping reminiscence encounters may have positive outcomes for long-term care residents.