Epilogue: The End of Life Flashcards
terminal decline
changes in cognition, processing, and/or personality, which signify that a person is nearing death
terminal agitation
a condition in which a dying person becomes restless, upset, and/or delirious
terminal lucidity
an unexpected return to consciousness or cognitive clarity in people who are at the end of life
clinical death
the stage in the dying process when breathing and the heart stop. Medical providers use the term cardiac arrest rather than clinical death
brain death
when someone is determined to have experienced irreversible brain damage that makes them unable to function and respond to stimulation
physician-assisted suicide
when a medical professional helps a dying person to end their life
active euthanasia
when a physician actively helps someone with a terminal illness die
advance directives
formal documents and instructions that specify end-of-life care
living wills
a form of advance directive that specifies care you would want at the end of life
hospice
a program of end-of-life care that focuses on eliminating suffering, by treating the emotional, physical, spiritual, and social needs of dying people and their families
palliative care
a type of medical treatment for seriously ill people that focuses on improving quality of life and eliminating discomfort
disenfranchised grief
grief that is not recognized by the greater community
anticipatory grief
the feeling of loss and sadness that begins before a death
thanatology
study of death
