Palliative Care

Abstract

Population ageing and the implications these present for care towards the end of life are major public health issues for 21st century. In the line with aging of the population, the pattern of diseases that people suffer and die from is also changing. Palliative care should be an integral part of health care and take place in any setting. Palliative care services are structured in three levels of ascending specialization, referred to the expertise of the staff providing the service: palliative care approach, general palliative care and specialist palliative care. Priority care needs for the three illness trajectories, for short period of evident decline (mostly cancer), for chronic illnesses with intermittent exacerbations and sudden dying (organ system failure), and for slow dwindling (mostly frailty and dementia) are different and specific palliative care services are needed through different length of time.