PALCARE LIBRARY

In India, for most patients and their families, diagnosis of life-limiting conditions is “world’s end”. The description of a clinical condition in most of the medical literature often ends at treatment.
Hippocratic: The Columbus Who Dared to Voyage the “El Fin Del Mundo”.
Indian Journal of Palliative Care. 2018.
http://www.jpalliativecare.com/article.asp?issn=0973-1075;year=2018;volume=24;issue=3;spage=287;epage=288;aulast=Salin

Parents’ despair and feelings of grief, as well as communication and coordination that is less than adequate between the parents and the palliative team, can affect the provision of a qualified palliative care plan for children and their families.
Still hoping for a miracle: Parent’s experience in caring for their child with cancer under palliative care.”
Indian Journal of Palliative Care. 2018.
http://www.jpalliativecare.com/text.asp?2018/24/2/127/229817

Cancer as life-threatening disease develops a range of existential challenges in persons. These challenges cause the patients to encounter some existential questions and tensions.
Getting out or remaining in the cage of inauthentic self: The meaning of existential challenges in patients with cancer.
Indian Journal of Palliative Care. 2018.
http://www.jpalliativecare.com/text.asp?2018/24/2/131/229815

Patients with chronic life-limiting conditions on palliative care (PC) prefer to be treated at home. Medical care by family physicians reduces demand on costly and busy hospital facilities.
Exploring education and training needs in palliative care among family physicians in Mumbai: A qualitative study.
Indian Journal of Palliative Care. 2018.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324590404_Exploring_Education_and_Training_Needs_in_Palliative_Care_among_Family_Physicians_in_Mumbai_A_Qualitative_Study

Family caregivers are still greatest support of patients in end-of-life especially when they wish to be cared for at home. Carers can be considered to be the core structure for the continuity of care of these patients.
The Caregiver Role in Palliative Care: A Systematic Review of the Literature.
Health Care Current Reviews. 2015.
https://www.omicsonline.org/open-access/the-caregiver-role-in-palliative-care-a-systematic-review-of-the-literature-2375-4273-1000143.php?aid=64657

Cancer can have profound social and economic consequences for people in India, often leading to family impoverishment and societal inequity.
The growing burden of cancer in India: epidemiology and social context.
Lancet Oncology. 2014.
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanonc/article/PIIS1470-2045(14)70115-9/fulltext

Helping people to die at their preferred place is a part of end-of-life care. Majority of people surveyed prefer to die at home, where they are relatively more comfortable. Public and governmental policies should be directed toward facilitating home deaths.
Preference of the Place of Death Among People of Pune
Indian Journal of Palliative Care. 2014.
https://www.ncbi.nlimnih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4129995/

Attention must be paid toward burnout tendencies to reveal fruitful intervention directions for researchers and practitioners to enhance the positive outcomes of informal caregivers and maintain their psychological and physical well-being.
Appraisals, Burnout and Outcomes in Informal Caregiving.
Asian Nursing Research. 2010.
https://ac.els-cdn.com/S1976131710600047/1-s2.0-S1976131710600047-main.pdf?_tid=7cc75a83-c778-48c0-8f6b-7ae50a6f72cc&acdnat=1521707387_b6812ecf6597b96d8df9ee7520a5c6d

Palliative care can be used at all cancer stages, and can drastically improve patient’s quality of life.
Palliative Care Just as Important as Treating Ovarian Cancer Itself.
Curetoday.com. 03 May 2018.
https://www.curetoday.com/articles/palliative-care-just-as-important-as-treating-ovarian-cancer-itself

The world’s health care system does not provide true health care. Or teach it. It provides disease-focused treatment—diagnosis and cure. A bit of disease prevention on the side, though not much. And if cure is not possible, in most of the world, patients are told “sorry; there is nothing more we can do; go home.
Palliative care in India is a slow-evolving revolution: Dr. M R Rajagopal.
health.economictimes.indiatimes.com. 06 April 2018.
https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/industry/palliative-care-in-india-is-a-slow-evolving-revolution-dr-m-r-rajagopal/63641729

Half of all patients with cancer in the UK still die of the disease.
Too few cancer patients are getting end-of-life care.
Independent.co.uk. 06 February 2018.
https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/cancer-treatment-patients-end-of-life-care-palliative-a8194761.html

On the occasion of Hospice and Palliative Care day, PD Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre launched its palliative care service in the hospital. Its services will include pain relief treatment, counseling and OPD.
Mumbai gets one-of-its kind non-oncology palliative care unit.
Mymedicalmantra.com. 14 October 2017.
http://www.mymedicalmantra.com/mumbai-gets-one-of-its-kind-non-oncology-palliative-care-unit/

I recently came across a top list of Hollywood films about palliative care. Despite being a palliative care physician and a movie lover, there was only one movie on the list that I had even heard about.
Top 5 Bollywood films about palliative care.
Palliumindia.org. 28 September 2016.
https://palliumindia.org/2016/09/top-5-bollywood-films-about-palliative-care/comment-page-1/

India is likely to have over 17.3 lakh new cases of cancer and over 8.8 lakh deaths due to the disease by 2020 with cancers of breast, lung and cervix topping the list.
Over 17 lakh new cancer cases in India by 2020: ICMR.
DNA India.com. 18 May 2016.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-over-17-lakh-new-cancer-cases-in-india-by-2020-icmr-2213764

Palliative care is the holistic management of physical, psychological, legal, and spiritual problems faced by patients with life-threatening illness and by their families. It is fundamental to health and human dignity and is a basic human right. It is increasingly recognised under international and regional human rights law.
Public Health Fact Sheet (2016) – Palliative Care as a Human Right.
Open Society Foundation.
https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/sites/default/files/palliative-care-human-right-fact-sheet-20160218.pdf

Dying well not only involves adequate control of physical symptoms, but also a host of other things such as unambiguous decision-making on the goals of care, preparation for death and a sense of completion.
End of Life policy for the Dying: Consensus Position Statement of Indian Association of Palliative Care.
Indian Journal of Palliative Care. 2014.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4154162/

Despite its limited coverage, palliative care has been present in India for about 20 years. It is estimated that one million new cases of cancer occur each year in India, with over 80% presenting at stage III and IV. The need for palliative care in India is immense.
Palliative Care in India: Current Progress and Future Needs.
Indian Journal of Palliative Care. 2012.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ PMC3573467/

Palliative care is available in very few hospitals in Mumbai at present. However, such services are now slowly available from privately run Public Trusts, who bring such service right into the patient’s home…
“Palliative Care”— the right to live with dignity.
A monthly magazine of Kanara Saraswat Association. February 2018.
http://www.kanarasaraswat.in/Admin/Master/MagzineDocs.aspx?MagzineID=87f1ed2b-e068-486f-8666-16885189c7e3&FileName=2018%2002%20final%20issue.pdf

New programmes are being set up based on evidence that early palliative care improves patient’s survival and quality of life.
India moves towards treating disease by targeting not just causes but also symptoms.
Priyanka Vora. Scroll.in. 17 October 2017.
https://scroll.in/pulse/854407/india-is-moving-towards-palliative-care-for-non-terminal-patients-even-children

A better death is as important as a good life, say the founders of two of the city’s newest palliative end-of-life care centres.
A little living before dying.
Mumbai Mirror. July 2017.
https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/others/sunday-read/a-little-living-before-dying/articleshow/59509945.cms