Overview

There are many issues and concerns regarding the period surrounding end-of-life. It is an emotional topic that many choose not to think about until a crisis occurs. Preparation for this time of life is important as it will not only help the individual preparing for this life event, it will also provide guidance and comfort for family and friends. The topics included here are common issues and concerns surrounding end-of-life. Many resources are available to guide individuals and loved ones with a focus on planning, support and care.

Advance Directives
Advance Directives are legal documents that allow you to convey your decisions about end of life care. They provide a way for you to communicate your wishes to family, friends and health care professionals in order to avoid confusion and protect your choices of the type of care you do or don’t want.

Hospice
Hospice provides comfort, support and care to both patient and family during one of life’s most challenging times. The focus of this philosophy of care involves the provision of an interdisciplinary team of professionals addressing physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs and well as the provision of equipment and medications that will enhance one’s comfort during the last months of life.

Cremation
Cremation may serve as a funeral or a post-funeral rite that is an alternative to the interment of an intact body in a casket. It is becoming more popular as a method for the final disposition of a body for reasons such as some do not like the idea of a traditional burial, it simplifies the burial process, is more environmentally friendly and more economical.

Funerals
A funeral is a ceremony marking a person's death. Funeral customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from the funeral itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor.

Bereavement
Bereavement is the period of grief and mourning after a death. It is part of the normal process of reacting to a loss. Grief may be experienced as a mental, physical, social and/or emotional reaction to the loss. While many who grieve are able to work through their loss independently, accessing additional support from appropriate professionals may promote the process of healing or provide assistance if grief becomes complicated.