title: Similarities in patient response to chronic and terminal illness.
abstract: Physical therapists sometimes hesitate to treat terminally ill patients because they believe the approach to them should differ from the approach to other patients. This belief is based on the assumption that patient needs during terminal illness differ from the needs of other patients. Some important similarities in patient reactions to chronic and terminal illness are explained. A conceptual framework of 'little deaths' is presented for comparing the two types of illness.
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D001828:Body Image; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D006801:Humans; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D012934:Social Isolation; D013727:Terminal Care