Referrals

Explaining words you might hear: End of life End of life refers to the final phase of life, when someone is likely to be in their last months, weeks, or days. Care at this time focuses on comfort, dignity, and supporting both the person and their loved ones. Palliative carePalliative care is care that helps people with serious illnesses feel as comfortable as possible. It focuses on improving quality of life by easing pain and symptoms at any stage of illness, alongside other treatments. Supportive care Supportive care helps people cope with the physical, emotional, and practical effects of a serious illness. It can be given at any time — not just at the end of life — and works alongside other treatments. Incurable Incurable means that the illness cannot be completely cured or removed. But people can still receive treatment to help manage symptoms and live as well as possible for as long as possible. Life limiting A life-limiting condition is an illness that cannot be cured and is likely to shorten a person’s life. People with these conditions may live for months or years, and can still receive care to help them live as well as possible. Terminal A terminal illness is one that cannot be cured and will lead to death, often within a short time — usually months or less. Care focuses on comfort and quality of life rather than trying to cure the illness.