The purpose of this study was to better understand the lived experience of functional decline for people with advanced cancer living at home | BMJ Supportive & Palliative Care
Context: People with advanced cancer experience bodily change resulting in debilitating functional decline. Although inability to participate in everyday activities (occupation) contributes to profound suffering, limited research has examined the relationship between altered bodily experience (embodiment) and functional ability.
Conclusions: This study highlights the role active participation in everyday activities plays in mediating adjustment to functional decline. These findings challenge us to look beyond palliation of physical symptoms and psychospiritual care as ends in themselves. Symptom control and palliation should be viewed as mechanisms to optimise active participation in essential and valued activities.
Full reference: et al. (2017) Living actively in the face of impending death: constantly adjusting to bodily decline at the end-of-life.
