EPIC-Home
Short description
The project develops and tests early integrated palliative care at home and nursing homes for people aged 70 and older who has incurable cancer or other progressive and life-limiting conditions.
About the project
This project aims to develop and evaluate a nationally scalable implementation strategy for the early integrated palliative care for older individuals with incurable cancer or other progressive and life-limiting conditions. The goal is to contribute to equitable access to palliative treatment, care, and support at the end of life—regardless of where the person is cared for or resides.
The specific aims are to:
- Map and explain differences in healthcare and medication use during the last year of life for individuals aged 70 and older
- Develop and test a strategy for earlier identification of palliative care needs among older people living in nursing homes
- Develop prerequisites for palliative care consultant functions within primary care and municipal home health care
- Identify structures and processes that support early integration of palliative care, as well as forms of collaboration, success factors, and barriers to achieving effective care pathways for older people in their final year of life
- Synthesise results from the above studies and co-create a feasible implementation strategy together with representatives of relevant actors and patient representatives
- Test the initial feasibility of the implementation strategy
Methods
The project is based on implementation science and the MRC framework for complex interventions. A participatory and multi-method research design is applied. The target group is individuals aged 70 and older with long-term, incurable, and life-limiting conditions who receive home healthcare or live in nursing homes. The implementation strategy will be designed as an intervention and developed in close collaboration with representatives of relevant stakeholders and patient representatives.
Societal relevance
Early integrated palliative care can improve the quality of life for older people with complex care needs and contribute to person-centred care for this group. Despite research evidence supporting this, many older people are still cared for and die in hospital, often at risk of overtreatment. There is a great need for structured, earlier on initiated palliative care in the place where the old person lives.
Collaboration and Funding
The project is carried out in collaboration between Sophiahemmet University in Stockholm, University of Gothenburg, Palliative Centre at Sahlgrenska University Hospital, and Skaraborg Hospital in Skövde. It is funded by the Swedish Cancer Society, ALF Västra Götaland, and Regional R&D funds in the Västra Götaland Region.
Link to presentation of the project at Sophiahemmet University
Researchers
