Purpose: To examine the factors influencing healthcare for the elderly and the terminally ill in modern health care.
Data sources: Selected articles, Internet sources, and legal sources.
Conclusion: Despite increasing use of advance directives, patients are not given adequate information at an appropriate time to make informed decisions. Even when advance directives are in place, they may not be honored.
Implications for practice: Among the most critical areas to consider in improving end-of-life care are encouraging patients to make known their wishes, respecting patients' concerns about quality of life, and promoting continuity and skill in end-of-life care.