Quality of life, values, and teamwork in geriatric care: do we communicate what we mean?

Two major forces are changing the shape of health care for the frail elderly with disabling conditions: increasing emphasis on quality of life and growing reliance on an interprofessional team-based approach to care. This article outlines a conceptual framework for organizing discussions of quality of life for elderly persons with disabilities, reviews relevant empirical research, and develops a framework for understanding the different dimensions and interpretations of this concept--particularly as it is used in communication among health care providers, and between them and their elderly patients and families. New models of health care to enhance the focus on life quality and collaborative team practice are summarized. Proposed is the development of an "empowering and reflective ethic" to achieve more effective communication about quality of life in geriatric clinical practice.