Palliative Care

Publications
Vita

Esther Berkemer - Diplom-Gerontologin; Diplom-Pflegewirtin (FH)

Network Aging Research
Bergheimer Straße 20
D-69115 Heidelberg

Phone: +49 (0)6221 54 81 34
berkemer@nar.uni-heidelberg.de

Fellows: Prof. Dr. Hartmut Remmers, Prof. Dr. Andreas Kruse

Palliative Care and Dementia- Implication for the person-centered care in nursing homes

People with dementia (PwD) are an important, but still neglected group for palliative care. The palliative care approach attemps to establish the best possible way to improve quality of life, and the assessment and control of burdening symptoms such as pain. In contrast to the well-studied trajectories of terminal cancer, the illness trajectory of dementia is not well examined and not as predictable.

Because of decreasing abilities to directly express their feelings, PwD are a particularly vulnerable group and dependant on others to interpret and act upon their needs. Due to the flowing transitions in the progression of dementia, a highly individualized approach from nurses and physicians is needed. However, these challenges in providing optimal professional palliative care in nursing homes are not well investigated in Germany.

The present study aims to close this research gap regarding palliative care for PwD in nursing homes. The goal of the study is to explore comprehension from the perspectives of experienced nurses; how they provide palliative care and what kind of barriers and needs exist due to palliative care for PwD in German nursing homes. 

Publications

• Berkemer, E., Remmers, H. & Kruse, A. (2013). Palliative Care for Persons with Dementia (PwD) - the Role of Nurses in the Decision-Making Process. The Gerontologist, 53,S. 77.
• Berkemer, E. (2012). Palliative Care in Einrichtungen der stationären Altenhilfe – Entwicklungen, Bedarfe und Herausforderungen unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von Demenz. In M. Hasseler, M. Meyer & T. Fischer (Hrsg.), Gerontologische Pflegeforschung: Ansätze, Ergebnisse und Perspektiven. S. 230-243. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer Verlag.
• Berkemer, E. (2012). Stellenwert von Assessment in der Pflege und Gesundheitsversorgung älterer Menschen. In M. Hasseler, M. Meyer & T. Fischer (Hrsg.), Gerontologische Pflegeforschung: Ansätze, Ergebnisse, Perspektiven für die Praxis. S. 112-113. Stuttgart: Kohlhammer.
• Sirsch, E., Schuler, M., Fischer, T., Gnass, I., Laekeman, M. A., Leonhardt, C., Berkemer, E. et al. (2012). Schmerzassessment bei älteren Menschen in der vollstationären Altenhilfe. Methodenpapaier zur S3-Leitlinie. Schmerz, 26(4), S. 410-418.
• Fischer, T., Berkemer, E., Drebenstedt, C., Gnass, I., Kopke, K., Laekeman, M., et al. (2011). Experten arbeiten an Mammutwerk. Interdisziplinäres Team entwickelt S3-Leitlinie für Schmerzassessment bei Pflegeheimbewohnern. Pflegezeitschrift, 64(10), S. 582-583.

Vita