End-of-Life
From Angela Morrow, RN, former About.com Guide
- Making Decisions for Your Own Care
- Making Difficult Decisions for Others
- Managing Distressing Symptoms
- The Dying Process
- After Death Occurs
Making Decisions for Your Own Care
With a little advanced planning, you can make decisions for yourself regarding the care you would like to receive at or near the end of life.
- Advance Directives
- What is a POLST and Do I Need One?
- Five Wishes
- Hands Off! Do Not Resuscitate Orders
- Deciding Where to Die
- Your Right to Know about Treatment Options
- 6 Questions for Your Doctor about Treatment Options
- California's Terminal Patients’ Right to Know End-of-Life Options Act
- Physician-Assisted Suicide
- The Decision to Stop Eating and Drinking at the End of Life
- Palliative Sedation: When All Else Fails
- 5 Reasons to Plan Your Own Funeral
- How Will Health Care Reform Affect End-of-Life Care?
- Dying Well - A Book by Dr. Ira Byock
Making Difficult Decisions for Others
Making decisions about our own care at the end of life can be difficult, but making decisions about someone else's end-of-life care can seem especially daunting, if not impossible. Here you can find information about choices you may face as your friend or loved one nears the end of life.
- Introduction to Difficult Decisions
- Deciding to Withhold or Withdraw Life Support
- Artificial Nutrition and Hydration at the End of Life
- Do Not Resuscitate Orders
- Palliative Sedation: When All Else Fails
- Does Palliative Sedation Cause Death?
Managing Distressing Symptoms
Many people nearing the end of life experience distressing symptoms. Shortness of breath, nausea, decreased appetite, and constipation are just a few of the symptoms someone may experience. Find out how you can help manage these common symptoms.
- Pain Management in Palliative Care
- Dismiss the Dyspnea: Managing Shortness of Breath
- Anxiety
- Decreased Appetite
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Constipation
- Delirium and Terminal Restlessness
- The Death Rattle
- Decreased Sex Drive
- The Hospice Comfort Kit
The Dying Process
The process of dying is a mystery to most of us. What to do during the dying process and after death occurs is not much clearer. Here we will shed some light on those difficult topics.
- All About the Dying Process
- The Dying Process
- Acts of Love: Caring for a Dying Loved One
- Interacting With the Dying
- Talking to a Dying Friend or Loved One: Common (Mis)Beliefs
- Anticipatory Grief
- 5 Stages of Coping with Death (DABDA)
- 5 Stages of a Life Review
- Scared to Death...of Death: Understanding the Fear of Death
- How to Plan a Funeral
- My Experience With a Dying Loved One: Share Your Story
- Nearing Death Awareness: Special Knowledge Death is Near
- What is it Like to Die of Lung Cancer?
After Death Occurs
The period immediately after a death occurs is a difficult time for survivors. A time of intense grief and mourning make it difficult to focus. Here is information to help you get through this extremely difficult time.
