Who Wants to Talk About End-of-Life? Not Many, Study Finds

Despite a continuing nationwide dialogue, many Americans still tend to avoid addressing their own end-of-life (EOL) issues, including the completion of advance directives.

In a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, a group of investigators examined the factors associated with advance directive completion.

Although various national polls and selected state surveys provide some insight into American attitudes about advanced directives, there is a lack of population-based data about advance directive completion among adults.

For this study, investigators analyzed data from the 2009 and 2010 Porter Novelli HealthStyles national surveys, which included EOL and advance directive-specific questions. The team looked at responses from 7,946 participants in the HealthStyles survey and found that only 26.3 percent had completed an advance directive.

Investigators found that the most frequently reported reason for not having one was lack of awareness.

“The study provides information from a large sample of adults on their attitudes and behaviors regarding advance directives,” says Lynda A. Anderson, Ph.D. and director of the Healthy Aging Program, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

While several investigations have shown that health care costs are greatest during the final years of life, researchers found that the use of advance directives was associated with lower levels of Medicare spending and a lower likelihood of in-hospital deaths.

 

Try to convince your family that it’s important to you that your wishes be carried out. It might help to consult an attorney in advance to have an idea what you would like to see happen as you age before you meet with family. Remember to think about care options as well. Older adults are staying at home longer than ever with the wealth of resources now available.

Contact your local Home Instead Senior Care^® office today to discover the many options available to you to remain at home as you age.

 

For additional details about this study, visit http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-12/ehs-moa120413.php?asid=b0517ae9.

 

 

Seniors Turn to Prayer for Better Health

The latest on the topic of health comes from the spiritual realm rather than the medical field. Praying for better health dramatically increased among American adults over the past three decades, rising 36 percent between 1999 and 2007, according to a study published by the American Psychological Association. The study focused on new data comparing 2002 to 2007 that found senior citizens are by far more likely to turn to prayer in coping with health issues than younger people.

Not surprisingly, too, seniors had a smaller percentage increase in those saying they prayed recently, because their numbers were already so high. One suggestion from the researchers is that a previous study found that as pain becomes more chronic, people are more likely to turn to prayer.

Some key findings:

·         A significantly greater proportion of women prayed compared with men; 51 percent of women reported praying in 2002 and 56 percent in 2007, in contrast with 34 percent and 40 percent, respectively, among men.

·         African-Americans were more likely to pray for their health than Caucasians, with 61 percent of African-Americans reporting having done so in 2002 and 67 percent in 2007, compared with 40 percent and 45 percent for Caucasians during the same periods.

·         People who were married, educated beyond high school or had experienced a change in health for better or worse within the last 12 months were also more likely to pray about health concerns, the study found.

The study did not reveal the type of prayer people used, or which occurred first – prayer or the health issue.

The support of a professional caregiver can be of help as well, particularly if you need assistance around the house. CAREGivers^SM from your local Home Instead Senior Care^® office can help take some of the fear from the issues of aging and growing older by providing a variety of non-medical and companionship services. CAREGivers are screened, trained, bonded and insured.  

To learn more about the research, visit http://www.apa.org/news/press/releases/2011/05/praying-health.aspx.