Gott, Merryn

Background: New public health approaches to palliative care prioritise the role of community at end of life. However, little is known about community support for the increasing numbers of people dying in advanced age. Aim: To explore the role of community at end of life for people dying in advanced age from the perspective of their bereaved family caregivers. Design: A constructionist framework underpinned a qualitative research design.

Aim.  This paper reports a study exploring the impact of advanced heart failure on the lives of older patients and their informal carers.

Background.  Prognosis is poor in heart failure, with more than a third of patients dying within 12 months of diagnosis, and end-of-life symptoms are distressing and poorly controlled. Although end-of-life care for people with heart failure has received increased attention in recent years, there are still few data on the impact of advanced heart failure on the lives of patients and their informal carers.