Assisted Living
Assisted living is a type of residential facility that serves elderly and disabled people who are unable to live fully independently. One of assisted living’s originators, Keren Brown Wilson, wanted to create a place…
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Geriatrician
A geriatrician is an expert in the health and care of the elderly. Gawande illustrates in Being Mortal that seeing a geriatrician rather than a regular primary care physician markedly improves people’s health in old…
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Hospice
Hospice care is a type of palliative care for people with terminal diseases, focusing on relieving suffering rather than improving chances of survival. Hospice is a treatment choice for people who have less than six…
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Metastatic
The word metastatic describes cancers that have spread to other parts of the body than the part in which the cancer originated. It usually indicates a severe form of cancer.
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Nursing Home
A nursing home is a facility in which elderly people both live and receive healthcare. People usually enter nursing homes when they can no longer live independently and need help with basics such as eating…
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Get the entire Being Mortal LitChart as a printable PDF.
Palliative Care
Palliative care is a type of medical care that focuses on relieving suffering. Hospice care is a type of palliative care.
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Quadriplegic
Someone who is quadriplegic is paralyzed in all four limbs. In Being Mortal, when Gawande’s father learns that he has a spinal cord tumor, he fears becoming quadriplegic more than anything.
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