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Context: Palliative care for homeless people is often given late, if at all. Professionals in both palliative care and shelter care are often insufficiently equipped to provide this complex care., Objectives: To provide insights into the palliative care experiences of professionals and homeless people, including barriers and facilitators to care, and to investigate whether a consultative function can help improve palliative care for homeless people., Methods: Six focus groups were included; four with professionals (n = 19) and two with severely ill homeless people (n = 15). Professionals were sampled purposively in organizations providing (palliative) care to the homeless. Homeless people were recruited by opportunity sampling., Results: Palliative care for homeless people is especially complex and differs substantially from regular palliative care. It differs greatly among professionals, institutions, and cities. Homeless people get less autonomy than they would like. Homeless people and professionals have different perceptions of the care provided. Trusting relationships between professionals and homeless people is essential and easily accessible, and flexible care is needed. Consultation, in particular involving exchange of expertise between professionals, can provide added value to professionals. Homeless people consider consultation primarily as an opportunity to train professionals to show more understanding, provide tailored palliative care, and enhance professional collaboration. The local situation, characteristics of a consultant, and role of a consultant in providing information and education must be considered when developing the consultation process., Conclusion: Consultation can play an important role in improving palliative care by linking disciplines, providing support to professionals and appropriate palliative care to homeless people., (Copyright © 2018 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The Palliative Performance Scale (PPS) is a tool that is widely used to predict end of life. In Ontario, Canada, the PPS is used to mark the terminal phase of life and eligibility for terminal care., Objective: The aim of this retrospective study was to confirm that a PPS level of 40% can be used as a marker for the terminal phase of life., Method: PPS levels from 78 patients were calculated based on the intake reports made at admission to an inpatient hospice., Results: Although 77 patients passed away within a period of 3 months, PPS levels at admission varied from 10% to 70%. Fifty-six percent of all patients had a PPS level of 40% or less. Regarding survival, three significant PPS profiles, consisting of two or more PPS levels could be distinguished.