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L. Fawcett1
1Arizona State University, Southwest Interdisciplinary Research Center, Phoenix, United States
Background: Physiotherapists help people maximize quality of life, at any stage of life, diseases and or conditions, taking account of their physical, psychological, emotional and social wellbeing. This definition encapsulates and situates the profession within the core purpose of palliative care approach which accentuates quality of life for people and their family facing problems associated with life-threatening illnesses. Palliative care is a continuum of care from onset of diagnosis to end of life care. It is holistic, therefore requires multidisciplinary team involvement in alleviating pain and suffering be it physical, psychosocial or spiritual. These shared tenets between physiotherapy and palliative care approach helped establish recognition of physiotherapy as an essential team member in the palliative care approach. As such, extends an opportunity to physiotherapy to further advance its professional body of knowledge and scope of best practice for patients and their caregivers facing life-threatening illnesses. Globally, the need for palliative care approach has been a growing steadily. It is projected to exponentially increase with the rise of non-communicable diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular among other progressive, chronic diseases including aging. The disease burden doubles in developing nations which may have a substantial number of communicable diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, among others. The year 2020 has heightened the global awareness and impetus for palliative care approach need with COVID-19 pandemic.
Purpose: In context of the current epidemiological projections and demographic changes, the need for palliative care approach will escalate. Physiotherapy profession is well suited to make great contributions in this speciality care. However, there is a need to prepare the profession didactically, clinically and in community settings to deliver palliation physiotherapy. The motive for this article is to urge and further advance physiotherapy profession in palliative care approach.
Methods: Position paper based on literature reviews, clinical and community observations.
Results: Need for global contemplative initiatives to further advance physiotherapy preparedness in palliative care approach delivery.
Conclusion(s): Physiotherapy is well suited to alleviate unnecessary suffering, helps people maximize quality of life, at any stage of life and diseases conditions. In the context of global projections on increase need of palliative care approach, it is imperative for physiotherapy professionals to be well prepared- didactically, clinically and in community settings- to meet the projected healthcare demands and to remain active and relevant healthcare providers.
Implications:
- There is a need to consider and explore a global initiative in physiotherapy preparedness and involvement in palliative care approach which may include: a. Integration of measurable basic competency skills and core knowledge in palliative and hospice care in all entry level physiotherapy and physiotherapy assistance programs. b. Support and engage in Interdisciplinary collaborative research on service access and barriers, quality of life measures, healthcare cost reduction. (c) Develop innovative community outreach physiotherapy palliation services. (d) Facilitate and promote global physiotherapy palliative approach care exchange programs. (e) Consideration for a stand-alone Palliative Care sub-Specialty in physiotherapy.
Funding, acknowledgements: N/A
Keywords: Physiotherapy, Palliative care, Preparedness
Topic: Oncology, HIV & palliative care
Did this work require ethics approval? No
Institution: N/A addresses and unique needs in physiotherapy palliative care.
Committee: N/A position paper addresses in physiotherapy palliative care.
Reason: Addresses new and unique developments in practice, theory, education, management, policy and resources
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
