End-of-life care

The following definitions are taken from the New Zealand Palliative Care Glossary (Palliative Care Council of New Zealand et al., 2012).

End of life: The end of life phase begins when a judgement is made that death is imminent. It may be the judgement of the health/social care professional or team responsible for the care of the patient, but it is often the patient and the family who first recognises its beginning.

End-of-life care: End-of-life care is the provision of supportive and palliative care in response to the assessed needs of the patient and family during the end of life phase. It focuses on preparing for an anticipated death and managing the end stage of a life-limiting or life-threatening condition. This includes care during and around the death and immediately afterwards. It enables the supportive and palliative care needs of both the person and the family to be identified and met throughout the last phase of life and into bereavement. It includes management of pain and other symptoms and the provision of psychological, social, spiritual and practical support and support for the family.