End of Life

Introduction

Many people who are seriously ill fear a painful death more than the loss of their life. This finding is according to the 1995 SUPPORT study. The fear of unrelieved pain is not unfounded. For many Americans, pain is vastly undertreated, even at the end of their lives.

Recent medical studies have shown that most pain problems can be managed to a reasonable comfort level through the use of pain-relieving medications provided by knowledgeable healthcare professionals. Advances in pain treatment, including new drugs, injections, infusions, implantable devices, radiation treatments and surgical techniques, have allowed for many difficult pain problems to be managed to comfort levels. It has been predicted that close to 98% of all pain problems can be relieved or reduced. The availability of pain specialists, pain management teams and/or healthcare professionals willing to work together with people living with pain is the key to successful pain relief. 

Pain during the final stages of life is no different. No matter if the length of life is projected in days, weeks, months or years, relief of a dying person’s pain must be a priority. Moderate to severe pain interferes with the ability to function with daily activities and quality of life. Unrelieved pain interferes with dignity. The person living with pain should determine the level of comfort desired. Pain relief should continue until their life has ended. When a dying person is not able to make their wishes known, their appointed representative (proxy) has the responsibility to honor those wishes.

APF's Pain Management For The End of Life is an online resource center  for consumers, caregivers and health care professionals. It includes information about advance directives, emotional and financial concerns, ethics and end of life organizations. It provides resources for hospice care and end of life care, pediatric pain, professional practice tools and information.