Clinics in geriatric medicine
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Depression, anxiety and delirium are relatively common during the final stages of terminal disease, and each can profoundly impact the quality of those last days for both patient and involved family. In this article the authors review the assessment and treatment of each syndrome in the context of palliative care for older adults. ⋯ Finally, caregivers of dying patients are vulnerable to stress, depression, grief, and complicated bereavement. Interventions for caregivers who are debilitated by these states are briefly summarized.