ST. PAUL — A private Minneapolis foundation has granted nearly $10 million toward improving care for people in the late stages of terminal illnesses.

The Robina Foundation is funding a multi-year program at the Twin Cities-based Allina Hospitals and Clinics. The program is designed to improve support for patients in the later stages of illnesses such as cancer, heart failure, and Alzheimer’s.

It’s aimed at patients whose life expectancies are between six months and two years.

Dr. Eric Anderson says the goal is to determine early on how the patient wants to handle end-of-life situations and then coordinate between medical professionals and family to fulfill those choices.

Officials plan to start with a dozen patients, then expand to 400 to 500 people by January 2013.