NIH Launches Online Resource for End-of-Life Issues
THURSDAY, March 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- People grappling with terminal illness now have a new online source of advice and help, sponsored by the U.S. National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health.
The End of Life module on the NIHSeniorHealth website explains the physical, mental, and emotional needs of people facing death, and outlines ways to help them maintain their quality of life, including home and hospice care. It also covers topics such as financial issues, advance directives, caregiver support, pain control, and coping with grief.
"Few of us are comfortable talking about death, our own or a loved one's. While such reluctance is natural, it can leave people unprepared and uncertain of where to find answers, especially when they are needed most," Patricia Grady, Ph.D., R.N., director of the National Institute of Nursing Research, said in a government news release. She said the nursing institute developed the End of Life module for NIHSeniorHealth, which is a joint effort of the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the U.S. National Library of Medicine. "Our goal with this module is to help people learn what to expect during the final stage of life so they can plan ahead."
NIHSeniorHealth provides short, easy-to-read sections, large print and other features meant to make it easy for seniors to find, see, and understand information, the NIA said.
