Ellen P. McCarthy|Michael Pencina|Margaret Kelly?Hayes|Jane C. Evans|Elizabeth J. Oberacker|Ralph B. D’Agostino|Risa B. Burns|Joanne M. Murabito
Advance Care Planning and Health Care Preferences of Community-Dwelling Elders: The Framingham Heart Study
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center|Harvard University|Framingham Heart Study|National Heart Lung and Blood Institute|Statistical Research (United States)|Boston University|Framingham Heart Study|National Heart Lung and Blood Institute|Framingham Heart Study|National Heart Lung and Blood Institute|Statistical Research (United States)|Boston University|Framingham Heart Study|National Heart Lung and Blood Institute|Framingham Heart Study|National Heart Lung and Blood Institute|Statistical Research (United States)|Boston University|Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center|Harvard University|Framingham Heart Study|National Heart Lung and Blood Institute|Boston Medical Center|Boston University
study objective describe selfreported advance care planning health care preferences use advance directives health perceptions elderly communitydwelling samplewe interviewed surviving participants original cohort framingham heart study cognitively intact attended routine research examination february 2004 october 2005 participants queried discussions endoflife care preferences care documentation advance directives health perceptionsamong 220 communitydwelling respondents 67 women mean age 88 years range 84100 years overall 69 discussed wishes medical care end life someone 17 discussed wishes physician health care provider two thirds health care proxy 55 living 41 80 respondents preferred comfort care lifeextending care 71 preferred die home however substantially fewer respondents said would rather die receive specific lifeprolonging interventions chronic ventilator 63 feeding tube 64 many willing endure distressing health states fewer half indicating would rather die live life great deal pain 46 confused andor forgetful 45 timealthough vast majority elderly communitydwellers sample appear prefer comfort measures end life many said willing endure specific lifeprolonging interventions distressing health states avoid death results highlight need physicians better understand patients preferences goals care help make informed decisions end life