End of Life Care Directory
People may face difficult decisions near the end of life, including the kind of care they'd like to receive and who will make decisions about their care. It's advisable to be prepared by writing an advance directive with instructions about medical care in case of future inability to make a decision and appointing a health care agent or attorney to make treatment decisions. Follow the links below to find WebMD's comprehensive coverage about end-of-life care, deciding on curative or palliative care, choosing a health care agent, writing an advance directive, finding end of life support, and much more.
Medical Reference
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Feeling Grief and Loss While You're a Caregiver
As a caregiver for someone with a long-term or incurable illness, you may start grieving before they pass away. Learn more about how to deal with your emotions.
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End-Stage COPD and Hospice
You can’t control the final stages of your COPD, but you can decide how and where you die. Learn when it’s time for hospice or palliative care, and how they can help guide you through your end-of-life decisions.
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What Is Life Support?
Life support keeps the body alive by doing the work of bodily functions that are failing. Learn what life support includes, when it's needed, and when it might be stopped.
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What to Expect When Your Loved One Is Dying
Learn what happens to a body in the months, weeks, and hours before death, and what you can do for someone who is dying.
Features
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What Is Palliative Care?
With a focus on quality of life and a holistic approach, palliative care helps patients and families through serious illnesses.
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Pediatric Palliative Care: Easing Your Child's Suffering
Bringing normalcy to families' lives is a goal of pediatric palliative care, also known as pediatric advanced care (PAC). Many families, however, resist palliative care because they think it's limited to end-of-life care.
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Talk About Death
When a loved one is dying, how do you find the right words?
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Coping with a Life-Threatening Illness
Palliative care improves life by helping patients and caregivers cope with life-threatening illness.