Olsson Möller U.1,2, Stigmar K.3, Beck I.1,4, Rasmussen B.1,3, Malmström M.1,5
1Lund University, Institute of Palliative Care, Lund, Sweden, 2Lund University, Department of Clinical Sciences in Lund, Lund, Sweden, 3Lund University, Department of Health Sciences, Lund, Sweden, 4Kristianstad University, Department of Health and Society, Kristianstad, Sweden, 5Region Skåne, Department of Surgery, Malmö, Sweden
Background: Patients in palliative care experience high levels of physical and functional impairments and may greatly benefit from physiotherapy (PT) treatment. However, PT in specialized palliative care (SPC) is often an underutilized resource, and the knowledge of the physiotherapists´ role in the team when treating patients with complex needs is insufficient. Thus an exploration of PT in SPC is highly warranted.
Purpose: To explore the variety of activities performed by physiotherapists in specialized palliative care.
Methods: A free-listing approach was used to collect data from 10 physiotherapists in SPC clinics in Sweden. They were instructed to continuously document what they performed during 10 days, as precise and detailed as possible. All activities involving patients and their families either directly or indirectly were documented.
Results: The free-listing exercise generated 504 activities. The activities were analysed and sorted into 7 content categories and coded as to whether the activities were directed towards the patient, the family unit or health care staff. Many of the activities indicated an immediate response to emerging needs related to the patients´ sudden change in health status. The activities seems to be adapted during the patients´ palliative trajectory, e.g. enabling and encouraging independence and life as usual, alleviating symptoms and covering basic needs and providing comfort and relief. Physical exercise and activities were applied to cover not only the patients´ physical but also psychological, social or existential needs. The PTs intertwined treatments with rehabilitative, preventive, curative and palliative aims and objectives.
Conclusion(s): The preliminary analysis showed a broad spectrum of activities going beyond traditionally described physiotherapeutic treatments. Physiotherapeutic activities in palliative care should not merely be described as various therapeutic techniques to be performed i.e. what is to be done, but include the holistic and inseparable nature of why, when, how, and with whom the activity was carried out.
Implications: A more nuanced description of the clinical complexity can clarify, optimize and develop PT in SPC for the benefit of patients and their families.
Funding acknowledgements: The Kamprad Foundation
Topic: Oncology, HIV & palliative care
Ethics approval: Ethics approval was not required as patients were not included
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
