Stroke and Palliative Care

Abstract

Meeting the palliative care needs of stroke patients requires stroke specialists to develop enhanced knowledge and skills in palliation in order to address the specific challenges that stroke presents. This requires investment from within the stroke field and a commitment to a more holistic approach to care which extends beyond rehabilitation goals. This chapter identifies a range of challenges in delivering palliative care for stroke patients. It considers generic palliative care pathways and tools, and their suitability in the context of stroke. The chapter presents case studies which illustrate how some of these care pathways and tools could be used with stroke patients. It discusses three palliative care approaches: the Liverpool Care Pathway; the Gold Standards Framework; and the Assessment, Management, Best practice, Engagement, and Recovery care bundle. The chapter concludes with recommendations to guide the development of improved palliative care in stroke.