Unpacking the Meaning of “Transitional Palliative Care”

Abstract

This article synthesizes literature for better understanding of the concept of transitional palliative care (TPC) within the context of older people moving from hospital to the community with life-limiting conditions and palliative care needs. The constructs gleaned from the synthesis connote that transitional care is more than only an act of transfer as older adults experience multiple transitions in our health care environment. It is a process of adjustment and adaptation for older adults to accommodate the changes as a result of the illness experience. The transition from cure to palliative care is one of the ongoing tensions because our health care system favors goals directed toward cure instead of comfort. The concept of a shift to palliation is also not enabled in a structure that a “one-size-fits-all” notion applies. The authors argue that current forms of TPC ignore influences of multifaceted health and social factors, which impact choices of older persons and their families.

Palliative care transitions from acute care to community-based care: A qualitative systematic review of the experiences and perspectives of health care providers

“…16 Two recent systematic reviews by our team found that patients receiving inpatient palliaitive care have fewer readmissions, improved discharge support, and improved care coordination over the course of the transition. 17,18 Although there are many quantitative studies examining this process of transitions, there has been limited research 19 exploring and synthesizing the qualitative literature in this area. Furthermore, there are few studies that consider healthcare providers’ experiences of palliative care transitions, and, to the best of our knowledge, there are no studies that synthesize this literature to gain insights into the role of healthcare providers in facilitating this crucial transition process.…”