Old and Given up for Dying? Palliative Care Units in Nursing Homes

The palliative unit at Bergen Red Cross Nursing Home opened in June 2000. In a prospective study, the authors investigated 196 patients admitted to the palliative care unit and 286 patients on the long-term wards. In Norway, 40% of the population dies in nursing homes. It is essential to develop good standards of palliative care for these patients. Palliative care units in nursing homes can provide excellent palliative care if they are given the competence and resources that are needed. Our patients on the long-term ward receive a high standard of palliative care, influenced by the competence and teaching programs of the palliative unit. This article aims to describe the challenges and tasks that should be focused on to ensure that old patients, no matter what their age or diagnosis, preserve their dignity and receive good palliative care during the final phase of their lives.