63 2.7.6 End-of-Life Care

End-of-life care:

• Final stages of life, where death is imminent and anticipated
• Goal to prioritize comfort, preserve dignity and maintain a high-quality life
• EOL care is tailored to align with the preferences, values, expectations, and goals

EOL care should be differentiated from palliative care:

• EOL care is specifically tailored to the terminal phase
• Palliative care is not restricted by a specific timeline
• Palliative care is often provided alongside curative or life-prolonging treatments
• EOL care, curative treatments are no longer pursued and the goal shifts to comfort care^{[1][2][3][4][5][6]}

Barriers to providing quality EOL care include:

• Motivation barriers
• Capability barriers
• Opportunity barriers

Systematic process of providing EOL care as outlined by the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (2013):

• Stage 1: Assessment
• Stage 2: Information sharing
• Stage 3: Decision making
• Stage 4: Care planning
• Stage 5: Care delivery
• Stage 6: Confirmation^[7][8]