The importance of end of life care – life and death issues

In our study, we emphasize the introduction of early palliation alongside curative treatment, highlighting the significance of psychological support in restoring balance. We closely monitor the coping with the uncertainty of the future perspective, which affects nearly every patient, through the lens of demoralization syndrome. The emphasis on life alongside maintaining reality manifests in meeting individual needs and values, while supporting the patient’s autonomous decisions throughout the process. While the early period is more focused on the will to live, later stages may bring about a shadow of longing for death. We present the underlying causes of this longing, its functions of expression, and how it changes in the final stages of life depending on aspects of suffering. In palliative care, during psychotherapy, validation of emotions, emotional support, life review, search for life’s meaning, significant experiences, roles, achievements, responsibilities take focus, and we openly discuss any longing for death. The interdisciplinary team provides multidirectional assistance throughout this process. Until we have exhausted all means of alleviating suffering, is it justifiable to control or hasten death? We strive to prioritize experiencing human dignity derived from our inherent humanity over expectations imposed by the environment in our hospice care.