Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40927412›Full record

ArticlePalliative care and social practice2025

"Help with rowing the boat": Implementing and evaluating the Strengthening a Palliative Approach in Long-Term Care program in four Canadian provinces.

Sharon Kaasalainen, Genevieve Thompson, Lynn McCleary, Lorraine Venturato, Abigail Wickson-Griffiths, Paulette V Hunter, Tamara Sussman, Donny Li, Shane Sinclair, Thomas Hadjistavropoulos and 3 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Palliative care and social practice, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Sharon KaasalainenSchool of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Genevieve ThompsonCollege of Nursing, Max Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Lynn McClearyFaculty of Applied Health Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, ON, Canada.
Lorraine VenturatoFaculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, AB, Canada.
Abigail Wickson-GriffithsFaculty of Nursing, University of Regina, SK, Canada.
Paulette V HunterSt. Thomas More College, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
Tamara SussmanSchool of Social Work, Faculty of Arts, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1226-6450
Donny LiSchool of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Shane SinclairFaculty of Nursing, University of Calgary, AB, Canada.
Thomas HadjistavropoulosFaculty of Arts, University of Regina, SK, Canada.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8586-0450
Noori Akhtar-DaneshSchool of Nursing, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
Valerie Bourgeois-GuerinSchool of Social Work, Faculty of Arts, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Deborah ParkerFaculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Despite high mortality rates in long-term care (LTC), LTC homes continue to struggle to implement a palliative approach to care. Objectives: The objective of this research was to implement and evaluate the Strengthening a Palliative Approach in Long-Term Care (SPA-LTC; www.spaltc.ca) program. Specifically, we explored its feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effects on resident comfort, use of emergency department at end-of-life (EOL), and location of resident death. Design: This study used an explanatory mixed method design in four LTC homes; one in each of four provinces (Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta) in Canada to assess acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary effects of the program. Methods: Quantitative and qualitative data were collected whereby the qualitative component was used to help explain or elaborate on the main quantitative components. Results: Of the 102 participating residents, 74.5% (76/102) had a Palliative Care Conference (PCC). However, of those who died, only 68.8% of them had a PCC. Rates of hospital use were reduced for study participants in terms of emergency department visits at EOL (relative risk reduction (RRR): 46%; 95% CI: -1.12, -0.10) and hospital deaths (RRR: 88%; 95% CI: -4.06, -1.12) compared to baseline. However, there were no significant differences in resident comfort. Family members stated that the PCCs were informative and thought that good communication was critical in providing quality care. They highlighted that close relationships and mutual respect among staff, residents, and families led to more meaningful care while the resident was alive as well as into bereavement. Staff stated that they found the SPA-LTC resources helpful and recognized the importance of having strong leadership using a Palliative Champion Team. Conclusion: The SPA-LTC program appears to be feasible on some key activities and supports a family-centered approach to care, which relies on strong communication. Future research is needed to confirm these initial results.

Indexed as

dementiaend-of-life carefamily caregiverlong-term carepalliative approachpalliative care

Identifiers

PMID40927412
PMCPMC12415342

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.