Community palliative care - Alexandra M Aitken

Community Palliative Care examines the complex support andinformation needs of seriously ill patients and their families andwill encompass not only the patient's journey, but that ofthe family during the illness trajectory and into the bereavementperiod.

The text is divided into three sections- professionals, patientsand carers. The first section discusses the roles and contributionsmade by other members of the primary health care team and examinesthe role of the nurse. Section two explores the psychosocialsupport needed by patients receiving palliative care, and looks atthe community palliative care clinical nurse specialists'role in relation to psychological, as well as practical problemssurrounding a life threatening illness. The final section will lookat the needs of the family and carers and the support that thecommunity palliative care clinical nurse specialist can offer tothe individuals. Included in this segment will be the complexissues faced by carers in relation to the changing roles within thefamily, children, death and bereavement.