Psychosocial Support
A complete psychosocial assessment should include an evaluation of the
- support system: family/caregiver
- educational history: language/cultural/health literacy barriers
- financial resources: eligible for federal/state/community assistance
- emotional state: depression/anxiety, cognitive decline.
Interprofessional collaboration with social work and other mental health providers may be helpful for those with psychosocial challenges. Referral to an interdisciplinary palliative care team should be considered for those with complex medical and psychosocial concerns.
Additional Resources
References
- 1. Block, S. D. “Psychological Issues in End of Life Care.” Journal of Palliative Medicine 9 no. 3 (2006): 751-772.
- 2. Jacobson, J., Kvale, E., Rabow, M., Rinaldi, S., Cohen, S., Weissman, D., and Jackson, V. “Helping Patients with Serious Illness Live Well through the Promotion of Adaptive Coping: A Report from the Improving Outpatient Palliative Care (IPAL-OP) Initiative.” Journal of Palliative Medicine 17 no. 4 (2014): 463-468.