Age expectancy continues to increase in society. More and more people live very far away; this is why the number of elderly people continues to increase. Disease models are continually evolving. Chronic illnesses are often the cause of death, more so than those caused by acute illness. The population requiring care is increasingly older. High-quality care is necessary at the end of life. Older adults have more complex problems and disabilities (Ebersole, Hess, Touhy, Jett, & Luggen, 2008). The care provided to these elderly people requires an established partnership between the nurse and the patient. People with serious illnesses often receive palliative care from specialized medical personnel. Regardless of diagnosis, the focus is on relieving pain, stress, and symptoms of their illness (Kapo, Morrison, & Liao, 2007). The goal for the family and the patient is to improve quality of life. The medical staff that makes up a palliative care team is made up of doctors, nurses, and any other specialists involved in the patient's care. These additional specialists are those who are needed to provide an additional level of support for the patient's diagnosed disease process. Some disease processes require care from a specialized field, such as an endocrinologist or respiratory therapist. Massage therapists, pharmacists, nutritionists, chaplains and others may also be part of the team (Shawler, 2011). All of these people contribute to the care of the elderly and can make their lives comfortable even in cases of chronic illness. The needs of the patient and their family are met by the healthcare team. The healthcare team will spend as much time as possible with elderly patients requiring palliative care. The goal of palliative care is to have... middle of paper... for the elderly person. J Palliat Med, 10(1), 185-209. Rajmohan, J. and Suresh-Kumar, K. (2013). Psychiatric morbidity, pain perception and functional status of patients with chronic pain in palliative care. Indian Journal of Palliative Care, 19(3), 146-151. doi:10.4103/0973-1075.121527 Shawler, C. (2011). Palliative and end-of-life care: use of a standardized patient family for gerontological nurse practitioner students. Perspectives on Nursing Education, 32(3), 168-172. doi:10.5480/1536-5026-32.3.168Skilbeck, J. (2013). Caring for frail elderly people: are we ready to take up the challenge? International Journal of Palliative Nursing, 19(12), 575. Vassal, P., Le Coz, P., Hervé, C., Matillon, Y. and Chapuis, F. (2009). Is the principle of equal access for all applied in practice to palliative care for the elderly? Journal of Palliative Medicine, 12(12), 1089. doi:10.1089/jpm.2009.0224