Volandes, Angelo E., Mitchell, Susan L., Gillick, Muriel R., Chang, Yuchiao, Paasche-Orlow, Michael K.

Introduction: When patients are unable to make important end-of-life decisions, doctors ask surrogate decision makers to provide insight into patients’ preferences. Unfortunately, multiple studies have shown that surrogates’ knowledge of patient preferences is poor. We hypothesized that a video decision tool would improve concordance between patients and their surrogates for end-of-life preferences.; Objective: To compare […]

Kiely, Dan K., Givens, Jane L., Shaffer, Michele L., Teno, Joan M., Mitchell, Susan L.

Objectives: To identify characteristics of nursing home (NH) residents with advanced dementia and their healthcare proxies (HCPs) associated with hospice referral and to examine the association between hospice use and the treatment of pain and dyspnea and unmet needs during the last 7 days of life.; Design: Prospective cohort study.; Setting: Twenty-two Boston-area NHs.; Participants: […]

Ye, Xingwang, Bhupathiraju, Shilpa N., Tucker, Katherine L.

Higher variety in fruit and vegetable intake has been associated with a lower risk of several chronic diseases. It remains unclear whether such associations exist relating to cognition. The authors examined associations between total quantity and variety in fruit and vegetable intake and cognitive function in a cross-sectional sample of 1412 Puerto Rican adults, aged […]