This report provides nationally representative data on policies, storage, and implementation of advance directives (ADs) in home health and hospice (HHH) agencies in the United States using the National Home and Hospice Care Survey. Federally mandated ADs policies were followed in >93% of all agencies. Nearly all agencies stored ADs in a file at the agency, but only half stored them at the patient’s residence. Nearly all agencies informed staff about the AD, but only 77% and 72% of home health agencies informed the attending physician and next-of-kin, respectively. Home health and hospice agencies are nearly universally compliant with ADs policies that are required in order to receive Medicare and Medicaid payments, but have much lower rates of adoption of ADs policies beyond federally mandated minimums.
LawR. ‘Bridging worlds': meeting the emotional needs of dying patients. J Adv Nurs. 2009;65(12):2630–2641.
4.
IecovichECarmelSBachnerYG. Where they want to die: correlates of elderly persons' preferences for death site. Soc Work Public Health. 2009;24(6):527–542.
5.
SchraderSLNelsonMLEidsnessLM. “South Dakota’s Dying to Know”: a statewide survey about end of life. J Palliat Med. 2009;12(8):695–705.
6.
MittyEFloresS. There’s no place like home. Geriatr Nurs. 2009;30(2):126–129.
7.
WilsonDMTrumanCDThomasR. The rapidly changing location of death in Canada, 1994-2004. Soc Sci Med. 2009;68(10):1752–1758.
8.
MehtaACohenSRCarnevaleFAEzerHDucharmeF. Strategizing a game plan: family caregivers of palliative patients engaged in the process of pain management. Cancer Nurs. 2010;33(6):461–469.
9.
BurnsCMAbernethyAPLeblancTWCurrowDC. What is the role of friends when contributing care at the end of life? Findings from an Australian population study. Psychooncology. 2011;20(2):203–212.
10.
YoungYInamdarSHannanEL. Comparison study on functional outcomes and perceived quality of life between all-inclusive and fee-for-service continuing care retirement communities. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2010;11(4):257–262.
11.
KampBJWellmanNSRussellC. Position of the American Dietetic Association, American Society for Nutrition, and Society for Nutrition Education: food and nutrition programs for community-residing older adults. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2010;42(2):72–82.
12.
ZidénLFrändinKKreuterM. Home rehabilitation after hip fracture. A randomized controlled study on balance confidence, physical function and everyday activities. Clin Rehabil. 2008;22(12):1019–1033.
KelloggFRCrainMCorwinJBricknerPW. Life-sustaining interventions in frail elderly persons. Talking about choices. Arch Intern Med. 1992;152(11):2317–2320.
15.
TerryWOlsonLGWilssLBoulton-LewisG. Experience of dying: concerns of dying patients and of carers. Intern Med J. 2006;36(6):338–346.
16.
SteinhauserKEChristakisNAClippECMcNeillyMMcIntyreLTulskyJA. Factors considered important at the end of life by patients, family, physicians and other care providers. JAMA. 2000;284(19):2476–2482.
17.
BenNatan MGarfinkelDShacharI. End-of-life needs as perceived by terminally ill older patients, family and staff. Eur J Oncol Nur. 2010;14(4):299–303.
SilveiraMJKimSYLangaKM. Advance directives and outcomes of surrogate decision making before death. N Engl J Med. 2010;362(13):1211–1218.
24.
DeteringKMHancockADReadeMCSilvesterW. The impact of advance care planning on end of life care in elderly patients: randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 2010;340:c1345. doi:10.1136/bmj.c1345
FagerlinASchneiderCE. Enough: the failure of the living will. Hastings Cent Rep. 2004;34(2):30–42.
32.
KirschnerKL. When written advance directives are not enough. Clin Geriatr Med. 2005;21(1):193–209.
33.
TulskyJA. Beyond advance directives: importance of communication skills at the end of life. JAMA. 2005;294(3):359–365.
34.
ResnickHESchuurJDHeinemanJStoneRWeissmanJS. Advance directives in nursing home residents aged ≥65 years: United States 2004. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. December/January 2009;25(6):476–482.
35.
ResnickHEFosterGLHickmanSE. Nursing home participation in end-of-life programs: United States, 2004. Am J Hosp Palliat Care. 2009;26(5):354–360.
