Adult Social Care Glossary, v 0.6

Support for people who are in the last months or years of their life.

Patients are ‘approaching the end of life’ when they are likely to die within the next 12 months. This includes:

- those patients whose death is expected within hours or days;
- those who have advanced, progressive incurable conditions;
- those with general frailty and co-existing conditions that mean they are expected to die within 12 months;
- those at risk of dying from a sudden acute crisis in an existing condition;
- and those with life-threatening acute conditions caused by sudden catastrophic events.

The term ‘approaching the end of life’ can also apply to extremely premature neonates [defined as 'newborn infants (less than one month old)'] whose prospects for survival are known to be very poor, and patients who are diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state (PVS) for whom a decision to withdraw treatment and care may lead to their death.

End of life (EOL) care is considered to be any episode of social care support provided as part of palliative care, and which is intended to support the individual until the care is no longer required.