The comprehensive care of patients and families facing terminal illness, focusing primarily on comfort and support. Such care includes:

• careful control of symptoms, especially PAIN.

• psychosocial and spiritual care.

• a personalised management plan centred on the patient's needs and wishes.

• care that takes into account the family's needs and that is carried into the bereavement period.

• provision of coordinated services in the home, hospital, day-care centre and other facilities used by the patient.

Palliative care should include: managing unpleasant symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and pain with planned use of appropriate medication; planning ahead to preserve as far as possible the patient's autonomy and choice as death approaches and the ability to make decisions may decline; and an understanding and use of artificial feeding and hydration. Palliative care seeks to improve the satisfaction of both patient and family, to identify their needs and, if possible, to reduce the overall cost because the patient can often be looked after at home or in a HOSPICE instead of in hospital. Many individuals are involved, including medical staff, community and hospital nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists and complementary therapists, amongst others.