Exploring End-of-Life Care for the Elderly

Chiho Shimada, PhD
Hideki Nomoto, PhD
Emi Nomoto, B.S.
Ryutaro Takahashi, M.D., Ph. D (Vice-director)

End-of-life Care, Advanced Care Planning

End of Life Care for the elderly
Establishing end-of-life care systems for welfare facilities

Our research aims to identify a care system that is necessary for older adults to live out their final days with their dignity preserved. In doing so, we focus on (a) how formal care providers can and should be involved with the end-of-life care for older patients, (b) how end-of-life care can and should be provided in different settings such as care facilities, hospitals, and patients’ home, and (c) how older patients can receive end-of-life care that best satisfies their wishes.

Our ongoing project is intended to develop a nursing-home system that enables residents to continue to receive care until their end. Specifically, to help accumulate practical knowledge to better manage end-of-life care in each nursing home, we have proposed Reflective Proficiency Program that provides the opportunity for staff members to share and learn from each other’s experiences. We are now examining whether and how the implementation of this program influences the quality of end-of-life care provided in nursing homes.

With a misunderstanding that equates end-of-life care with hastening death by not providing necessary medical treatment, little effort has been made to tackle important questions such as: How can we maintain and enhance the well-being of older adults who recognize that they are near the end of their life? How can we motivate caregivers to help such older adults to best spend their limited time? Addressing these questions, we seek to contribute to creating society that guarantees the right to spend the final days of life in peace.