END-OF-LIFE CARE FOR SENIORS: PUBLIC AND PROFESSIONAL AWARENESS

Seniors living with disease or dying should be able to receive competent, comprehensive, and compassionate end-of-life care that offers dignity, self-determination, and relief from pain and suffering. Such care is predicated on an informed public and health and social service providers who are in end-of-life issues and appropriate approaches. There is, however, little evidence that seniors and their families are about end-of-life issues or about their treatment and care options. Furthermore, health and social service providers do not predictably receive the education and training necessary to ensure a high quality of end-of-life care for seniors. This paper discusses public and professional awareness and offers strategies aimed at increasing awareness of end-of-life issues. These strategies also support the development of an approach to end-of-life care for seniors that is caring, compassionate, and ethically, spiritually, and culturally appropriate. The article contributes to an emerging agenda directed at ensuring that all seniors receive end-of-life care that allows a positive conclusion to their lives.