Acute illness 
Afflicted by a disease or condition that comes on rapidly and severely, but that can–with proper treatment–be eventually cured, such as pneumonia or a broken bone.

Advance Medical Directives 
Advance directives are used to give other people, including health care providers, information about your wishes for medical care. Advance directives are important in case there is ever a time when you are not physically or mentally able to speak for yourself and make your wishes known. The most common types of advance directives are the living will and the durable power of attorney for health care.

Advanced illness 
A serious disease or condition that has progressed too far to be cured, such as cancer that has spread throughout the body.

Advocate 
A person, often a family member, who is designated to speak with healthcare providers on behalf of a patient. An advocate does not have legal powers, unlike a healthcare proxy.

Bereavement 
Feeling the loss of a loved one who has died. Also see "grieving.

Caregiver 
A healthcare professional, family member or friend who attends to the needs of a patient.

Chronic suffering 
Long-term discomfort which may be psychological, emotional or spiritual as well as physical. Chronic pain leads to chronic suffering.

Comfort care 
Also called "palliative care." Treatment whose focus is to improve quality of life through pain management and relief from psychological, emotional and spiritual stress. May be used in tandem with a curative course of treatment.

Complementary therapy 
Treatment used in tandem with mainstream medicine. Examples include art therapy, music therapy, massage, and acupuncture.

Critical illness 
A disease which may lead to death. Also see "terminal illness."

Culturally competent care 
Medical treatment explicitly designed to address and respect different cultural customs and norms.

Curative care 
The treatment of patients with the intent of curing their disease or condition. For example, chemotherapy treatments to cure breast cancer.

Custodial care 
Assistance with activities of daily living and includes homemaking (cooking, cleaning) services. Providers of custodial care (home health aides) are not required to undergo medical training. Medicare only covers custodial care at home when there is also a skilled care need.

Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) Order 
A doctor's written instructions not to attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in the event of cardiac or respiratory arrest. The DNR order is attached to a person's medical chart like any other medical order, and may be filed at hospitals, in private practice, with local emergency services, and with companies such as MedicAlert (which provides a bracelet to wear).

Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (DPOAHC) 
A legal document that specifies one or more individuals (called a health care proxy) you would like to make medical decisions for you if you are unable to do so yourself.

End-of-Life care 
Doctors and caregivers provide care to patients approaching the end of life that is focused on comfort, respect for decisions, support for the family, and treatments to help psychological and spiritual concerns.

Ethics 
A system of moral principles and rules that are used as standards for professional conduct. Many hospitals and other health care facilities have ethics committees that can help doctors, other healthcare providers, patients and family members in making difficult decisions regarding medical care.

Grief 
Reactions and responses to a loss. These are very individual and can occur on emotional, physical, cognitive, spiritual and behavioral levels.

Grief therapist 
A specially trained individual whose area of expertise is dealing with the distress or sorrow of the patient or of the family and friends after someone dies

Grieving 
The process of feeling distress or sorrow. Also see "bereavement."

Healing 
Restoration or making better; a broad term that can apply to physical healing as well as healing of relationships and feelings.
Healthcare proxy Also called "medical power of attorney." An appointed stand-in with the legal authority to make medical decisions. Written form is called "durable power of attorney."

Hospice 
A special way of caring for people with terminal illnesses and their families by meeting the patient's physical, emotional, social, and spiritual needs, as well as the needs of the family. The goals of hospice are to keep the patient as comfortable as possible by relieving pain and other symptoms; to prepare for a death that follows the wishes and needs of the patient; and to reassure both the patient and family members by helping them to understand and manage what is happening.

Hospice Home Care
Most hospice patients receive care while living in their homes. Home hospice patients have family members or friends who provide most of their care, with help and support from the trained hospice team. The hospice team visits at the house to provide medical and nursing care, emotional support, counseling, information, instruction and practical help. A home care aide may also be available to help with daily care, if needed.

Informed consent 
The process of making decisions about medical care that are based on open, honest communication between the health care provider and the patient and/or the patient's family members.

Intensive care unit (ICU) 
A specialized part of the hospital designed for care of the critically ill whose conditions necessitate constant monitoring.

Living will 
A legal document which outlines the kinds of medical care a patient wants and doesn't want. The living will is used only if the patient becomes unable to make decisions for him/herself.

Medical Power of Attorney 
Also called "healthcare proxy." An appointed stand-in with the legal authority to make medical decisions. Written form is called "durable power of attorney."

Palliative Care 
Also called "comfort care." Its focus is to improve quality of life through pain management and counseling for psychological, emotional, spiritual and physical distress. May include a curative course of treatment.

Prognosis 
The description of the path a disease is likely to take.

Respite care 
Temporary care given by another in place of the primary caregiver so the primary caregiver can take a break.

Spiritual history 
An account of a person's beliefs and values. It is a useful reference in determining how to incorporate a person's spiritual values into their medical care.

Terminal illness 
A disease which leads to death.

Terminal sedation 
The continuous administration of medication which tranquilizes a person to unconsciousness. Used at the end stages of an illness to relieve pain up until death.