Photo taken in Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Definitions & Explanations
Sometimes we just need knowledge and clarity to lesson anxieties, alleviate fears and equip us with productive means of processing and understanding. Please note, not every one of these definitions is explicitly related to end of life care, however, they can be related or common at times, simply not in every case.
Aggressive care describes a particular approach to a life-threatening illness or condition. A patient receiving aggressive care will receive the benefit of every medication, technology, tool and trick that doctors can devise to treat his or her illness. Chemotherapy, dialysis, radiation therapy, surgery, antibiotics, and other medical interventions designed to preserve and prolong life would be considered aggressive care. (http://specialchildren.about.com/od/medicalissues/g/aggressive.htm)
This is an important concept because in the west, where there is a greater access to specific technologies and care to treat persons, the line becomes hazy where to give aggressive treatment versus when to give palliative care.
Bereavement- To be bereaved means that you have suffered a loss, by death. (from "Healing After Loss" Calvary bereavement counseling service pamphlet, Australia)
Bioethics- is the study of the typically controversial ethical issues emerging from new situations and possibilities brought about by advances in biology and medicine. It is also moral discernment as it relates to medical policy, practice, and research. (http://www.omicsonline.org/clinical-research-bioethics.php)
Basically, any nearly any issue I discuss will fall under this umbrella so I figured its a nice term to know since it is a fairly new concept in the realm of academia.
Dementia-Dementia is not a specific disorder or disease. It is a syndrome (group of symptoms) associated with a progressive loss of memory and other intellectual functions that is serious enough to interfere with performing the tasks of daily life. Dementia can occur to anyone at any age from an injury or from oxygen deprivation, although it is most commonly associated with aging (http://www.minddisorders.com/Del-Fi/Dementia.html#ixzz4Ahl43xZ)
Delirium is an acute and relatively sudden decline in attention, focus, perception and cognition. Delirium is the result of an underlying disease or new problem. (http://delirium.askdefinebeta.com)
Dignity- the state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect or sense of pride in oneself; self-respect (http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/dignity)
This is an important concept, because it can be so arbitrary and dependent on others, cultural norms, understandings, faiths or lack thereof etc.
End of Life Care- Often abbreviated as EOL; In medicine, nursing and the allied health professions, end-of-life care refers to health care, not only of patients in the final hours or days of their lives, but more broadly care of all those with a terminal illness or terminal condition that has become advanced, progressive and incurable. (http://www.disabled-world.com/medical/palliative/)
Euthanasia- the deliberate ending of life of a person suffering from an incurable disease (http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Euthanasia)
Grief describes all the emotions and reactions we may experience after a significant loss. In particular, the death of someone we love or care about deeply can cause us to feel the full extent of grief (from "Healing After Loss" Calvary bereavement counseling service pamphlet, Australia)
Hospice care is a type of care and philosophy of care that focuses on the palliation of a chronically ill, terminally ill or seriously ill patient's pain and symptoms, and attending to their emotional and spiritual needs. (http://www.thepatientchoice.com/elderly-care-facility/what-is-hospice-care/)
Mourning- The term is often used interchangeable with "grief" and is also traditionally seen as referring to the public and/or social display of grief based on cultural, religious, social, personal and philosophical factors (from "Healing After Loss" Calvary bereavement counseling service pamphlet, Australia)
Palliative Care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual (http://www.who.int/cancer/palliative/definition/en/)
Paternalism- the system, principle, or practice of managing or governing individuals, businesses, nations, etc., in the manner of a father dealing benevolently and often intrusively with his children. (dictionary.com)
To what degree do the experts influence decision making versus the patient themselves? To what degree does the patient have knowledge or access to expertise in order to make the best/most moral decision? Difficult stuff.
Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia- Physician-assisted suicide is often confused with euthanasia (sometimes called "mercy killing"). In cases of euthanasia the physician administers the means of death, usually a lethal drug. Physician-assisted suicide (PAS) is at the request and with the consent of the patient, since he or she self-administers the means of death. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisted_suicide)
Syringe Driver-A syringe driver is a small, battery-powered pump that delivers medication through a soft plastic tube, into a syringe with a needle which is placed just under the skin. This is generally the skin on the arm, leg, abdomen, or it could be somewhere else on the body. The continuous dose of medication is used to treat symptoms such as:
This is an important concept because in the west, where there is a greater access to specific technologies and care to treat persons, the line becomes hazy where to give aggressive treatment versus when to give palliative care.
Bereavement- To be bereaved means that you have suffered a loss, by death. (from "Healing After Loss" Calvary bereavement counseling service pamphlet, Australia)
Bioethics- is the study of the typically controversial ethical issues emerging from new situations and possibilities brought about by advances in biology and medicine. It is also moral discernment as it relates to medical policy, practice, and research. (http://www.omicsonline.org/clinical-research-bioethics.php)
Basically, any nearly any issue I discuss will fall under this umbrella so I figured its a nice term to know since it is a fairly new concept in the realm of academia.
Dementia-Dementia is not a specific disorder or disease. It is a syndrome (group of symptoms) associated with a progressive loss of memory and other intellectual functions that is serious enough to interfere with performing the tasks of daily life. Dementia can occur to anyone at any age from an injury or from oxygen deprivation, although it is most commonly associated with aging (http://www.minddisorders.com/Del-Fi/Dementia.html#ixzz4Ahl43xZ)
Delirium is an acute and relatively sudden decline in attention, focus, perception and cognition. Delirium is the result of an underlying disease or new problem. (http://delirium.askdefinebeta.com)
Dignity- the state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect or sense of pride in oneself; self-respect (http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/us/definition/american_english/dignity)
This is an important concept, because it can be so arbitrary and dependent on others, cultural norms, understandings, faiths or lack thereof etc.
End of Life Care- Often abbreviated as EOL; In medicine, nursing and the allied health professions, end-of-life care refers to health care, not only of patients in the final hours or days of their lives, but more broadly care of all those with a terminal illness or terminal condition that has become advanced, progressive and incurable. (http://www.disabled-world.com/medical/palliative/)
Euthanasia- the deliberate ending of life of a person suffering from an incurable disease (http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Euthanasia)
Grief describes all the emotions and reactions we may experience after a significant loss. In particular, the death of someone we love or care about deeply can cause us to feel the full extent of grief (from "Healing After Loss" Calvary bereavement counseling service pamphlet, Australia)
Hospice care is a type of care and philosophy of care that focuses on the palliation of a chronically ill, terminally ill or seriously ill patient's pain and symptoms, and attending to their emotional and spiritual needs. (http://www.thepatientchoice.com/elderly-care-facility/what-is-hospice-care/)
Mourning- The term is often used interchangeable with "grief" and is also traditionally seen as referring to the public and/or social display of grief based on cultural, religious, social, personal and philosophical factors (from "Healing After Loss" Calvary bereavement counseling service pamphlet, Australia)
Palliative Care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual (http://www.who.int/cancer/palliative/definition/en/)
Paternalism- the system, principle, or practice of managing or governing individuals, businesses, nations, etc., in the manner of a father dealing benevolently and often intrusively with his children. (dictionary.com)
To what degree do the experts influence decision making versus the patient themselves? To what degree does the patient have knowledge or access to expertise in order to make the best/most moral decision? Difficult stuff.
Physician-Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia- Physician-assisted suicide is often confused with euthanasia (sometimes called "mercy killing"). In cases of euthanasia the physician administers the means of death, usually a lethal drug. Physician-assisted suicide (PAS) is at the request and with the consent of the patient, since he or she self-administers the means of death. (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assisted_suicide)
Syringe Driver-A syringe driver is a small, battery-powered pump that delivers medication through a soft plastic tube, into a syringe with a needle which is placed just under the skin. This is generally the skin on the arm, leg, abdomen, or it could be somewhere else on the body. The continuous dose of medication is used to treat symptoms such as:
- pain
- vomiting
- seizures
- agitation