Complementary and integrative medicine for older adults in palliative care

Madeline Leong; Thomas J Smith; Anastasia Rowland-Seymour

doi:10.1016/j.cger.2015.01.004

Complementary and integrative medicine for older adults in palliative care

Clin Geriatr Med. 2015 May;31(2):177-91. doi: 10.1016/j.cger.2015.01.004. Epub 2015 Feb 18.

Authors

Madeline Leong¹, Thomas J Smith², Anastasia Rowland-Seymour³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Palliative Care, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 North Wolfe Street, Blalock 369, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. Electronic address: mkunsbe1@jhmi.edu.
² Department of Palliative Care, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 North Wolfe Street, Blalock 369, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
³ Program in Integrative Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins Hospital, 600 North Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.

PMID: 25920054
DOI: 10.1016/j.cger.2015.01.004

Abstract

Complementary and Integrative Medicine (CIM) encompasses many diverse therapies, including natural products and mind and body practices. Use of CIM is common and can benefit patients in palliative care. However, because patients in palliative care are often frail and elderly, the clinician should consider a patient's comorbidities before recommending certain therapies, such as natural products. In this article, specific examples of CIM are provided for symptoms commonly seen in palliative care.

Keywords: Alternative medicine; Complementary medicine; Integrative medicine; Palliative care.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Aged
Complementary Therapies / methods*
Health Services for the Aged / standards
Humans
Integrative Medicine* / methods
Integrative Medicine* / organization & administration
Pain Management / methods*
Palliative Care / methods*
Quality Improvement