Volunteer Activities at the Hospice of Japan Baptist Hospital: Modified Volunteer Activities Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

At the Japan Baptist Hospital, approximately 70 volunteers are working mainly in hospice. Owing to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak in February 2020, volunteer activities were suspended or severely curtailed at most hospices/palliative care units in Japan. We have been attempting to determine how to continue the volunteer activities, that are indispensable to the hospice care team approach. For example, volunteers’ artworks and potted plants provided patients with the opportunity to participate in seasonal events and feel socially connected without meeting in person. Additionally, we skillfully used web resources, that allowed us to hold staff meetings and bereavement meetings during the pandemic. The hospice staff participated in hospital COVID-19 countermeasure meetings to share and provide the importance of presence of volunteers for the best care of patients throughout the hospital. The “Guideline for Volunteer Activities According to the COVID-19 Outbreak Levels” was initiated in conjunction with the hospital’s infection control team to allow us to continue volunteer activities without spreading the infection.

The Farewell Prayer Gathering Held by the Chaplain after a Patients’ Death in Our Inpatient Hospice at the Japan Baptist Hospital: An Evaluation by Bereaved Families Using a Questionnaire Survey

Purpose: Our purpose is to report an actual performance of our farewell prayer gathering held by the chaplain in our inpatient hospice at the Japan Baptist Hospital, and to describe what impressions and thoughts the bereaved families had about our farewell prayer gathering. Method: The questionnaires were sent to 84 patients’ families asking about our farewell prayer gathering. We analyzed the content of their comments. Results: Among the 40 families that responded, 15 families experienced our farewell prayer gathering. The words such as “prayer” and “participation of the staff” were mentioned as the favored experiences. The bereaved families felt “an emotional closure”, “peace of mind”, and “healing of mind and body”. They also found the gathering as “an opportunity to look back” and “special memorable moment”. Discussion: Our farewell prayer gathering is likely to be helpful for the bereaved to give peace to their mind and to reduce feelings of loss. By sharing the voices of bereaved families, it will be helpful for the betterment of grief care to future bereaved families in hospice care. We would like to see further research in the future.

Reference Data, Characteristics and Related Factors of Quality of Life Assessed by a Questionnaire of Patient’s Behavior Survey in the General Population in Japan

To decide the policy to promote palliative care properly, a new questionnaire has been added to Patient’s behavior survey to assess Quality of Life (QOL) of inpatients and outpatients in Japan. The aim of this study was to survey QOL score of general population in Japan by using a questionnaire of patient’s behavior survey. A large nationwide postal survey was conducted from January through February 2013 in Japan. A total of 2400 subjects were selected randomly from among members of the general population who were 20 to 79 years of age and lived in Japan. A total of 978 (41.1%) questionnaires were analyzed, and reference data of QOL score weighted by the national standard value of sex-age group population were calculated. Correlation coefficients were calculated between QOL score and SF-8TM, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG), Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) score. In addition, sociodemographic factors related to QOL score were evaluated. From the perspectives of public health and administrative policy, the results of this survey will provide important basic data to evaluate patient’s behavior survey broadly and continuously with the goal of establishing a palliative care system in Japan.

Symptom Prevalence, Severity, and Distress Assessed by Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) in the General Population in Japan

<p>Understanding the symptoms of the general population has an important role in assessing and improving the quality of palliative care systems. However, there are no reliable epidemiological data on the symptoms of the general population in Japan. The aim of this study was to survey the actual status of the symptoms experienced by the general population in Japan. A large nationwide postal survey was conducted from January through February 2013 in Japan. A total of 2400 subjects were selected randomly from among members of the general population who were 20 to 79 years of age and lived in Japan. The Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) was used to multi-dimensionally evaluate symptoms experienced within the past week, and the Short Form 8™ (SF-8™) was used to assess the health-related quality of life (QOL). A total of 978 (41.1%) self-completed questionnaires were analyzed. The prevalences, severity rates, and distress rates of 35 physical and psychological symptoms were analyzed according to sex and age group. In addition, the relation between symptom severity and the health-related QOL score was evaluated. From the perspectives of public health and administrative policy, the results of this survey will most likely provide important basic data, with the ultimate goal of establishing a palliative care system in Japan. </p>