Although there may be differences in how motor neurone disease progresses, it is not uncommon for people living with motor neurone disease to become concerned about what lies ahead and how decisions about their finances, health and lifestyle will be made (MND NSW).
McCabe and O'Connor 2010
- For people with MND, self-reported economic pressure was significantly associated with quality of life.
- The results of the present study indicated that income and illness-related expenses were not associated with the quality of life of people living with a progressive neurological illness. Thus, it appears that income and illness related expenses in themselves are not associated with lowered quality of life. Because economic pressure was uncorrelated with income and illness-related expenses, it may be that a subjective feeling of economic pressure is capturing something different from actual income and expenses. Generalized anxiety about the course of one’s illness, the future well-being of one’s family, or some other unmeasured factor may be reflected in the experience of economic pressure.
The consideration of advance directives is increasing in many parts of the world, allowing the wishes of the patients to be clear, even if they are not able to express them due to the progession of the disease (Borasio and Voltz 2006).
