Glossary

Our glossary explains some of the medical and legal terms used in palliative care.

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Fecal impaction

A large unmoving mass of hard stool, usually in the large intestine. Fecal impaction, and bowel obstruction generally, can prevent bowel movements from occurring.

Fecal impaction

A large unmoving mass of hard stool, usually in the large intestine. Fecal impaction, and bowel obstruction generally, can prevent bowel movements from occurring.

Grief/ Grieving

A natural response to loss. A combination of emotional, physical, and spiritual processes that are uniquely individual.

Grief/ Grieving

A natural response to loss. A combination of emotional, physical, and spiritual processes that are uniquely individual.

Hallucinations

False or distorted sensory experiences (sights, sounds or touch) that are interpreted as real.

Hallucinations

False or distorted sensory experiences (sights, sounds or touch) that are interpreted as real.

Health care directive

A document that outlines treatment decisions a patient wants made if he or she is unable to communicate or make decisions in the future. See Advance care plan.

Health care directive

A document that outlines treatment decisions a patient wants made if he or she is unable to communicate or make decisions in the future. See Advance care plan.

Higher entity

A higher force, power or energy that represents the spiritual dimension giving meaning to our lives and the world around us. It may represent God, Allah, Creator or Universal Truth, as found in established faiths, or it may refer to an individual's sense of the connection between us and the universe.

Higher entity

A higher force, power or energy that represents the spiritual dimension giving meaning to our lives and the world around us. It may represent God, Allah, Creator or Universal Truth, as found in established faiths, or it may refer to an individual's sense of the connection between us and the universe.