ALZHEIMER'S BLOG:

I know I already blogged today, but I just had a patient that made me think What is quality of life?

So I looked it up.

From Wikipedia:

The term quality of life is used to evaluate the general well-being of individuals and societies. The term is used in a wide range of contexts, including the fields of international development, healthcare, and politics. Quality of life should not be confused with the concept of standard of living, which is based primarily on income. Instead, standard indicators of the quality of life include not only wealth and employment, but also the built environment, physical and mental health, education, recreation and leisure time, and social belonging. Also frequently related are concepts such as freedom, human rights, and happiness.
Also frequently related are concepts such as freedom, human rights, and happiness.

From another site about quality of life -

Quality of Life is often defined in a very negative way, simply as the absence of health threatening hazards from the environment or as the absence of disease or medical problems. Even if we take a more positive approach and consider the advantages the environment offers (e.g. in arts, schools, natural beauty, access and so on) this is again a static viewpoint and assumes that a body that is functioning at its optimum in an optimum environment is somehow also optimised. Nothing could be further from the truth, a vegetable could perhaps say that - but not a human.

Now my question is what is quality of life for the Alzheimer's patient.

I just picked up a 76 yr old male patient who has a pacemaker, Foley, feeding tube and on oxygen. He is totally confused due to his dementia / Alzheimer's. Is this the quality of life you want? Just a thought.

Sincerely,
Marie Fostino
Alzheimer's A Caretakers Journal
Seaboard Press an Imprint of James A Rock Pub., Co.
www.mariefostino.com
www.mariefostino.blogspot.com