Potential and Possibility: Rehabilitation at end of life

Palliative care for the critically ill and terminally ill§To give a patient 'life' is the primary goal of caring for individuals with severe, life-limiting illnesses. Physiotherapy within the realms of palliative care is an exceptional means of preserving and improving quality of life and independence. §This book provides a comprehensive picture of the strategies and visions of palliative physiotherapy. Perfectly structured with a sound scientific background, yet highly practical, it explains the objectives and potential uses for physiotherapy at end of life: common combinations of symptoms such as dementia, weakness, anxiety, pain, breathlessness and oedema, but also motivation, are given a fresh perspective from the angle of palliative care. Numerous case studies illustrate how useful physiotherapy can be in palliative care and how it can be applied to greatest effect from the early stages of a disease to the terminal phase. §Beyond medical 'facts', all the aspects so important to palliative care whether psychosocial, communicative, ethical, spiritual or cultural are addressed in detail, including supervision as a means of self-care for the therapist. §This is a book for all those (not only in hospices and palliative care units) faced with caring for critically ill and terminally ill patients essential reading for a professional, considered approach.