The Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Oncology and Palliative Care (ACPOPC) has welcomed updated Covid-19 rehabilitation standards for people nearing the end of their life.
The standards cover rehabilitation and physiotherapy care for people with Covid-19 approaching the end of their life and support for their families and carers.
The updated version has been expanded to take into account updated guidance and emerging evidence, including people’s lived experiences regarding:
- sequelae of Covid-19 including Long Covid
- clinical risk stratification, functional screening tools and ongoing assessment
- personalised symptom management
- monitoring response to rehabilitation and individualising timing, intensity and frequency of rehabilitation
- supported self-management and self-monitoring, including principles of pacing and energy management
- impact of inequities and disparities in outcome.
‘The increase in knowledge around the rehabilitation of people with Long Covid and its inclusion in these standards is particularly helpful,’ said ACPOPC chair Emily Stowe.
Many of the symptoms of Long Covid overlap with symptoms people in the last 12 months of life may be experiencing and this presents a unique challenge in determining appropriate rehabilitation.
‘We hope these standards are helpful not only for physiotherapists working in specialist palliative care but also those working in other settings who may come across palliative patients among their usual caseload.’
Palliative rehabilitation and end of life care: physiotherapy service delivery
These standards are one of a series of CSP Covid-19 Rehabilitation Standards.
- CSP Standards [RS1]: Rehabilitation of adults who are hospitalised due to acute Covid-19 or Long Covid: physiotherapy service delivery
- CSP Standards [RS3]: Community rehabilitation: physiotherapy service delivery
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