NIH Offering Grants to Study ‘Palliative Care’ for Elderly, Even in ERs and ICUs

[Geee]

CNS News:

CNSNews.com) – The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is soliciting applications for federal grants worth up to $275,000 to research ways to provide elderly patients with “palliative care” – even in hospital emergency rooms and intensive care units.

Palliative care is commonly understood to mean medical treatment that focuses on relieving symptoms, including pain, instead of trying to treat or cure the underlying disease.

But researchers will not be studying the use of palliative care to relieve the suffering of dying patients. “Hospice and end-of-life settings are not included within the scope” of the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), the grant notices specifically state.

Instead, they will be looking at new ways to provide elderly patients with palliative care long before they are at death’s door.