What are end-of-life issues?

End-of-life issues are frequently complex moral, ethical, or legal dilemmas, or a combination of these, involving an individual's vital physiological functions, medical-surgical prognosis, quality of life, and personal values and beliefs. The challenges include the management of chronic physical pain, depression, the seemingly mundane but important tasks that need to be addressed, a variety of intense emotions, the diagnosis of a terminal illness, etcetera. By choosing the type of end-of-life care that best meets your needs while you are still healthy, you can assist those near to you in making the best decisions when the time comes. Clinicians, patients and their families face numerous obstacles and challenges associated with end-of-life care, such as managing pain and suffering. Furthermore, the supervision of a dying patient must be viewed in the context of the individual’s mental, emotional, psychological, physical, and social experiences. The elderly, who are prone to loneliness, are at the forefront of those who require end-of-life care.

Challenges faced by people facing end-of-life:

• Pain
• Depression
• Coping
• Dignity
• Need for control
• Weakness

How are end-of-life issues treated?

In the treatment of dying patients, there are numerous clinical obstacles. Nonetheless, clinicians can execute various therapies to manage a patient's emotional and physical issues at the end of life. Physical aspects are just as significant as psychological and emotional ones. Depression is common among patients who are nearing the end of their lives. It could be primary, medication-related or organic in nature. Physical symptoms of depression might be confounded with neurovegetative symptoms of depression in patients with terminal illnesses, making depression challenging to diagnose. Thus, end-of-life issues are often treated by a multi-disciplinary team and in a holistic manner.