Abstract
The terminal phase of many chronic GI conditions in the elderly requires careful attention to symptom management. Palliative care provides both a framework, centered on function, and techniques to address common issues such as anorexia, constipation, and intestinal obstruction. Such interventions are not necessarily focused solely on survival but rather on patient well-being during end-of-life care. In this respect, palliative care shares many goals of care with hospice, though unlike hospice, palliative care can be appropriate throughout the course of an illness.
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Heath, J.M., Poplin, E. (2012). Palliative Care of GI Issues at the End of Life. In: Pitchumoni, C., Dharmarajan, T. (eds) Geriatric Gastroenterology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1623-5_64
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