According to the World Health Organization, self-care is the ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a healthcare provider. Self-care at end of life is under-researched. Existing studies on self-care are often limited to the early to moderate stages of chronic disease. These studies have shown that self-care can increase peoples’ feelings of control, reduce care use and lower the overall cost for health and social care systems. Gallagher and colleagues (2024) conducted a review of the current evidence on practices of self-care in life-limiting conditions and its impacts on healthcare utilisation, quality of life and associated costs. Thirty-three studies were included in the review and mostly examined self-care monitoring or maintenance. The researchers identified that self-care is increasingly burdensome for patients, carers and professionals towards the end of life. Self-monitoring may delay patients from seeking professional help, leading to increased hospitalizations. Read more…
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