What is an incurable illness?
Some of the common medical conditions of people requiring care at the end of life include:
advanced cancer
dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease
advanced lung, heart, kidney and liver disease
frailty and the presence of multiple diseases or conditions, known as multimorbidity
stroke and other neurological diseases, including Parkinson’s, motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis.
How will I know if I have an incurable illness?
This is something that the doctor or consultant managing your treatment should explain to you. This will usually follow a series of tests and/or treatment. You may find that your healthcare professional will use other terms such as terminal illness, life-limiting condition or a progressive illness.
If you are unsure about whether you have an incurable illness, speak to your doctor.
What might happen to my care after receiving a diagnosis of an incurable illness?
Dying is a unique personal experience and if you are diagnosed with an incurable illness that will lead to you dying, your care will then change from aiming to cure your illness to ensuring you have the best possible quality of life. This care will be provided for as long as it is needed, which could be days or weeks, months or several years.
The focus will be on:
Who will look after me at the end of life?
There are many different people who may provide care for you at the end of life. These include:
your GP, other doctors and palliative care specialists
general and specialist nurses in the community, hospitals, hospices and care homes
occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychologists, lymphoedema specialists, social workers
family members and informal carers
pastoral carers, chaplains or other spiritual leaders.
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