ABSTRACT
As individuals live longer, nursing homes will become the end-of-life care providers. Palliative care education is lacking in nursing homes in several countries, compounded by staffing shortages. Artificial nutrition is one life-sustaining treatment utilized in nursing homes. Overuse may be attributed to regulations protecting residents, ethical dilemmas, or cultural meaning. Most residents who receive artificial nutrition suffer from end-stage dementia, yet research confirms no benefit. The right to die movement and multiple court cases in the latter portion of the twentieth century highlighted refusal of treatment in the form of withdrawal or withholding of life-sustaining treatments such as artificial nutrition. Although judicial rulings and ethics panel findings concurred that artificial nutrition was no different than other life-sustaining treatments, an ethical dilemma resulted. Suggestions are provided to replace the nurturing meaning of food with other interventions.
