Perspectives on Behavioural Interventions in Palliative and End-of-Life Care

This is a unique book that provides a state of the art review of behavioural interventions to improve decision-making, communication, and well-being in patients and families facing advanced illness. Its emphasis on biopsychosocial and spiritual dimensions, and inclusion of both practical clinical issues and evidence is exemplary. There is outstanding attention to diverse populations, including LGBT and cultural issues, and case studies provide vivid examples. This is the best book I have read on the topic, and one I will include in my graduate courses on coping with chronic illness and psychotherapy with older adults. William E. Haley, PhD, Professor, School of Aging Studies, University of South Florida. For psychologists, chaplains, social work clinicians and whole health therapists, this foundational text is a welcome contribution. The authors lay out what is known, and where gaps remain in our palliative care psychosocial treatment repertoire. The thought-provoking and realistic vignettes encourage us to review across multiple dimensions for assessment and treatment planning. This will be required reading in our psychology palliative care training library! Elizabeth Goy Ph.D., Psychology Palliative Care Fellowship Supervisor, VA Portland Health Care System; Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University School of Medicine. There is a good discussion of a range of interventions designed to enhance communication and decision-making, which provided a neat summary and assessment of each. I suspect that psychologists may remain under-represented, and that means that the rest of us (doctors, nurses, social workers and others) will have to continue doing the best that we can with psychological issues. This book provides a reasonably detailed but succinct review of the problems and any member of the team will be better off for having read it. Roger Woodruff, hospicecare.com Newsletter.