Acknowledging Different Perspectives : Burden and management of symptoms in the last phase of life

In order to deliver good palliative care it is important to know which symptoms may occur during a specific disease trajectory or disease phase and what their impact on daily functioning is. The aim of this thesis was to providing insight into various aspects of symptoms and symptom relief during the last phase of life. We concluded that it is important to acknowledge the presence of different perspectives concerning symptoms and symptom relief during the last phase of life. To establish this, improvement of communication within the healthcare team and with patients and family members is needed. Communication related to symptoms should preferably be a continuous process. The chapter concludes with implications for clinical practice and recommendations for future research.