The hospice in the care of the elderly: Field notes from the rural suburbs of Trichur city, Kerala
The hospice can provide critical medical and nursing care, as well as psychological and spiritual support for the ailing elderly, augment the family support structure, help the elderly be independent and productive, and provide comfort and sophisticated symptom relief to the dying so as to help them die a peaceful, calm and dignified death. These aspects are illustrated with case study material compiled by a dedicated doctor running a hospice-the Santhitheeram Charitable Trust, in the rural suburbs of Trichur city, Kerala.
EDITOR—Paterson wrote about the unnecessary burden placed on patients with newly diagnosed cancer in discussing cancer registration.1 Patients are shocked at the diagnosis of cancer and have to work hard to get to grips with the news and its implications. When their participation is appropriate in treatment decisions—for example, in early stage breast cancer—they need to urgently understand the issues as treatment …