End of life care should begin when you need it, although it is not possible to be 100% accurate when predicting an individuals end of life, people are considered to be approaching end of life when they are likely to die within the next 12 months. Every individual is different, some can expect to die within the next few hours or receive care for many months, regardless of the time frame people can benefit from end of life care.

End of life care should be considered if one's death is imminent or people who have:

• An advanced incurable disease such as cancer or motor neuron disease
• Existing conditions that could result in a sudden death
• Generally frail and existing conditions that could result in them dying in the near future