Chapter 27: End-of-Life Care

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to grief, death, and end-of-life care.

anticipatory grief

A period of mourning when a dying person or family anticipates the death.

autopsy

An examination of a body by a pathologist to determine the cause of death.

bereavement

The period following a loss during which mourning occurs.

cremation

The process of burning a dead body until it turns to ash.

death

The end of life; the cessation of all body functions.

grief

A deeply emotional response to loss.

grief counseling

Therapy designed to help a person cope after someone has died.

grief process

The varying emotional responses experienced during grief.

hospice care

Holistic, compassionate care for people with about six months or less to live, continuing until death.

mourning

The period in which people adapt to a loss, influenced by culture, tradition, and society.

palliative care

Care focused on pain relief, symptom control, prevention of complications, and quality of life for someone who is very ill or dying.

pathologist

A doctor with advanced training in examining organs and tissues.

postmortem care

Care of the body after death.

prolonged grief disorder (PGD)

A disorder marked by intense emotional pain lasting at least 12 months after a death, significantly affecting daily function.

rigor mortis

The post-death condition where body muscles become stiff and rigid.