Attitudes
of Professionals Regarding  the “Dementia Fear”

Dear health-care professional (physician, nurse, social worker, and psychologist/counselor; elder law/estate attorney; chaplain/pastoral counselor and some others):

Thank you for agreeing to consider completing this survey.

What is the research about?
Our research focuses on honoring patients’ (or clients’) wishes to attain a dying that is both peaceful and timely.
"Timely" means neither prolonged nor premature.
Results from this survey may provide us a better understanding about the attitudes of healthcare professionals who are asked to respond to patients' (or clients') requests regarding certain end-of-life options, as the clients try to reduce their own suffering and the suffering of their loved ones--if someday they are terminally ill and especially if they must face the challenges of Advanced Dementia.

This survey presents information that some healthcare professionals have found new or worthwhile to review.
The issues include the clinical, legal, ethical, religious, and moral implications of decisions regarding life-sustaining treatment.

Why are you being asked to volunteer in this research study?
We want to learn the attitudes of healthcare professionals regarding patients' (or clients') treatment requests
or treatment refusals made in advance, if they were to reach the advanced stage of dementia in the future.
Preliminary results from a companion survey completed by patients and clients revealed that some preferred certain options for specific end-of-life conditions that are considered controversial. . . yet others did not realize other options existed so they could avoid prolonged dying in any way other than to hasten their own dying.

Who is conducting this research?
Arnold P. Gass, MD, Carole Hair, PhD, RN, GNPBC, and Stanley A. Terman, PhD, MD.
You may speak to an investigator if you have any questions: Call 800 647 3223, or e-mail DrTerman@CaringAdvocates.org.

What will you be asked to do?
To complete an online survey that takes about an hour and a half.
Your participation is completely voluntary and may not directly benefit you or your patients/clients.
If you wish to stop participating in the study at any time, there will be no negative consequences.
You will not be compensated for your time nor will you have any out-of-pocket expenses.

Your responses will be confidential and not connected to any personal identifying information you may choose to reveal.

INSTRUCTIONS:
If you now begin to respond to the Survey Questions below, this is what it will mean:
You have read and understood the information above;
You have no question to ask for which you need an answer before you can begin; and,
You are giving your voluntary consent to participate further in this study.

Logistics:
You can go back to change any answer any time.
If you received a UNIQUE LINK by email, you can pause to resume later even if you change computers or browsers.
Although we prefer you complete the survey in one session, we suggest one convenient place you may pause.
To save your work, make sure you click on the “Next” button at the bottom of the last page to which you responded before you pause.

If you wish to receive a UNIQUE LINK email invitation, send a request to info@CaringAdvocates.org with words like these in the subject line:
“Requesting a unique survey link to the Professional Survey”--BEFORE you begin responding to the survey.
If you wish to recommend your colleagues consider completing the survey, they can send in a similar email, or they can use this LINK: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ProsReDementiaFear .

Thank you for your agreeing to participate.