Table 1 Characteristics of long-term care residents at the time of palliative care consultation
From: Palliative care consultation teams in long-term care: a descriptive retrospective cohort study
Baseline characteristic | LTC residents (n = 87) |
|---|---|
Age (years), mean (SD) | 85 (9.1) |
Age categories | |
60 to < 80 | 24 (27.6) |
80 to < 90 | 35 (40.2) |
90 to < 100 | 28 (32.2) |
Gender | |
Female | 62 (71.3) |
Male | 25 (28.7) |
Primary language | |
English | 63 (72.4) |
Portuguese | 7 (8.0) |
Other | 17 (19.5) |
Marital status | |
Widowed | 47 (54.0) |
Never married | 16 (18.4) |
Married | 14 (16.1) |
Divorced or separated | 10 (11.5) |
Primary life-limiting diagnosis | |
Dementia | 44 (50.6) |
Frailty | 15 (17.2) |
Other | 28 (32.2) |
Number of comorbidities | |
Mean (SD) | 4 (1.5) |
1 to 2 | 18 (20.7) |
3 | 22 (25.3) |
4 | 20 (23.0) |
5 | 17 (19.5) |
\(\:\ge\:\)6 | 10 (11.5) |
Comorbidities | |
Hypertension | 52 (59.8) |
Dementia | 51 (58.6) |
Depression | 35 (40.2) |
Stroke or transient ischemic attack | 23 (26.4) |
Diabetes | 21 (24.1) |
Non-metastatic cancer | 19 (21.8) |
Hypothyroidism | 15 (17.2) |
Atrial fibrillation | 14 (16.1) |
Chronic pulmonary disease | 14 (16.1) |
Chronic heart failure | 13 (14.9) |
Chronic kidney disease | 9 (10.3) |
Chronic pain | 8 (9.2) |
Myocardial infarction | 8 (9.2) |
Parkinson’s disease | 8 (9.2) |
Palliative Performance Scale | |
40 to 50% | 35 (40.2) |
30% | 42 (48.3) |
10 to 20% | 10 (11.5) |
CHESS score | |
Time (days) CHESS score prior to consultation, mean (SD) | 37 (25.7) |
CHESS score prior to initial consultation | |
0 | 25 (28.7) |
1 | 24 (27.6) |
2 | 20 (23.0) |
3 | 9 (10.3) |
4 to 5 | 9 (10.3) |
Substitute decision maker | |
Children | 54 (62.1) |
Spouse or partner | 11 (12.6) |
Siblings | 10 (11.5) |
Any other relative, friend, or Public Guardian and Trustee | 12 (13.8) |