Dementia care. Part 3: end-of-life care for people with advanced dementia

Abstract

End-of-life care issues for people with advanced dementia have only recently been addressed in guidance. There appear to be barriers to accessing good palliative care for people in the terminal phase of the disease. The reasons for this are multifactorial, but may be attributed to factors such as dementia not being recognized as a terminal disease like cancer, problems in recognizing the symptoms of terminal dementia, and decision-making conflicts between family caregivers and other health and social care providers. This article highlights common symptoms of advanced dementia, and the need for a palliative care approach. It also addresses specific issues in both caring for people with dementia at the end of their lives and in supporting carers.