End of Life Support: A Mercy for those Who are at the Death's Door

Forty-two years ago, a nurse working at the King Edward Memorial (KEM) hospital was thrown into a permanently vegetative state because of a sexual assault. She survived in that state for just over four decades, then died naturally. The Aruna Shanbaug case brought to light the legal loopholes related to end-of-life care, which are really at an embryonic stage in India.

India ranks dreadfully low on palliative care, which has not been integrated into the health care system of the country. In a report commissioned by The Economist in 2016, India ranked 67th out of the 80 countries on the Quality of Death Index. Generally speaking, ignorance of end-of-life-care makes India one of the worst countries to die in.

Typically, in the developed world, there are four core values of medical ethics on which palliative care is based:

  • Autonomy: a patient has the right to choose or refuse the treatment
  • Beneficence: a doctor should act in the best interest of the patient
  • Non-maleficence: first, do no harm
  • Justice: distribute health resources equitably
  • Additionally, two more values enshrined in medical ethics are:
  • Dignity: the patient and the persons treating the patient have the right to dignity
  • Truthfulness and honesty: the concept of informed consent and truth-telling

The model of palliative care which has evolved in the West around these values is difficult to adhere to in India – considering the current state of palliative care, and the applicable laws, available in India. However, the advent of home healthcare services in the past decade has paved the way for a sounder & ethical end-of-life care system in India, much to the relief of their family. 

Home Nursing Care Services for those Who are at the Death's Door:

Although there isn't a specific indicator of the end-of-life scenario, a consistently deteriorating health condition of a chronically ill or fatally injured patient is considered as a common parameter. Taking care of a terminally ill patient who is nearing their end is mentally and emotionally tasking, which leaves a lasting scar on the family. Trained and experienced nurses offer home care services, where the patients are treated with empathy and care. Such services help patients to die with dignity while helping the family to come to terms with the passing. From regular cleaning to wound management, the caregivers ensure that the invalids are comfortable and properly taken care. 

IHHC is India's leading palliative care provider, which focuses on helping the terminally ill to spend their last days at the safety of their home.

Location: India

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