Does it Matter Who Decides? Outcomes of Surrogate Decision-Making for Community-Dwelling, Cognitively Impaired Older Adults Near the End of Life

Micah Y. Baum, Joseph J. Gallo, Marie T. Nolan, Kenneth M. Langa, Scott D. Halpern, Mario Macis, Lauren Hersch Nicholas

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Context: Cognitively impaired older adults frequently need surrogate decision-making near the end-of-life. It is unknown whether differences in the surrogate's relationship to the decedent are associated with different end-of-life treatment choices. Objectives: To describe differences in end-of-life care for community dwelling, cognitively impaired older adults when children and spouses are involved in decision-making. Methods: Retrospective observational study. Results: Among 742 community-dwelling adults with cognitive impairment (mild cognitive impairment or dementia) prior to death, children participated in end-of-life decisions for 615 patients (83%) and spouses participated in decisions for 258 patients (35%), with both children and spouses participating for 131 patients (18%). When controlling for demographic characteristics, decedents with only a spouse decision-maker were less likely to undergo a life-sustaining treatment than decedents with only children decision-makers (P < 0.05). There was no difference in the probability of in-hospital death or burdensome transfers across facilities across decedent-decision-maker relationships. Differences in rates of life-sustaining treatment were greater when we restricted to decedents with dementia. Conclusion: Decedents with cognitive impairment or dementia were less likely to receive life-sustaining treatments when spouses versus children were involved with end-of-life treatment decisions but were no less likely to experience other measures of potentially burdensome end-of-life care.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1126-1134
Number of pages9
JournalJournal of Pain and Symptom Management
Volume62
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2021

Keywords

  • Surrogate decision-making
  • end-of-life decisions
  • family

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Nursing
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine

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