Do the elderly have a voice? Advance care planning discussions with frail and older individuals: a systematic literature review and narrative synthesis

Abstract

Background: Recent years have seen marked improvements in end-of-life care, however concerns have been expressed that services are focused on the needs of patients with cancer. This review focuses on conversations about end-of-life care with frail and older people who have no main overriding diagnosis who are estimated to account for around 40% of deaths.

Aim: To investigate the attitudes of the public and healthcare professionals to advance care planning discussions with frail and older people.

Design and setting: Systematic literature review and narrative synthesis.

Method: Articles that related to frail or older individuals and either advance care plans or discussions on end-of-life care were included. Studies of specific conditions or that focused on prognosis, capacity, or resuscitation decisions were excluded.

Results: While a significant minority of frail older individuals would find them unwelcome, the majority would appreciate the chance to discuss end-of-life care, yet most do not have this opportunity. Attitudes to the timing of these discussions were variable, but most perceived the risk of leaving them too late. Most doctors believed it was their professional responsibility to initiate discussions, but felt limited by time pressures and the absence of a precipitating event. A wide range of barriers were identified including the reluctance of family members to discuss end-of-life care, the passive expectation that someone else would decide on an individual's behalf, and significant uncertainty concerning future illness and decline.

Conclusion: The marked disparity between the majority of older individuals who would like the opportunity to discuss their end-of-life care and the minority that currently have this opportunity raises important questions if the wishes of this large group in society are to be respected. The challenge is to find effective ways of encouraging dialogue and choice within the constraints of the current healthcare systems and personal circumstances.

Figure 1. Literature search flow chart.