What is End of Life Care: All you need to know
What is End of Life Care?
End of life or palliative care is the support and care given to those who are nearing the end of their lives, helping them to feel as comfortable and safe as possible. End of life care services are available at home, in hospital, hospices and care homes, but many people prefer to receive care in familiar surroundings with their loved ones at their side.
This stage can be difficult for the person receiving care and their loved ones, as well as the carer providing support during this time. There are many ways to ease the emotional strain, and knowing your loved one is in the safest and most comfortable place can make all the difference.
Why is it important for your loved one?
Knowing your loved one has been given the chance to spend their final days, weeks or months feeling safe and supported and receiving proper care and attention is incredibly reassuring. Passing away in comfort and surrounded by family and friends is important, both for your loved one and yourself.
We understand that seeing a loved one going through the process can be distressing. Our dedicated carers are on hand to try and alleviate some of the worries and care responsibilities you may have, so you can spend more quality time with your loved one.
What Are The Signs and Symptoms?
If a person has been living with a terminal illness, a doctor or nurse may tell when they are nearing the end of their life and ask loved ones to gather. For others, end of life symptoms can come on more quickly, and may include:
- Weight Loss
- Increased periods of sleep
- Feeling hot or cold
- Eating and drinking less
- Bladder and bowel problems
- Noisy breathing or breathlessness
- Pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Talking less
- Restlessness or agitation
- Delirium (sudden confusion)
Most of these signs and symptoms are caused by the body slowing down, and can be easily managed with compassionate and specialist care services.
End of Life vs Palliative Care?
Palliative care is the term used to describe the care given to someone who is suffering from a terminal illness, or someone who will not recover from their condition. Palliative care includes end of life care, but end of life care often refers to the care someone receives in the very final stages of their life.
There is not a significant difference between End of Life Care and Palliative Care in terms of the type of care given; both types of care are carried out by professional district nurses or qualified carers, and both types of care revolve around keeping the person comfortable, pain free and feeling safe.
How to discuss the topic
Discussing end of life care can be a very difficult topic to bring up for yourself and your loved ones. Nobody wants to think about their loved one passing away, but talking about this earlier rather than later means wishes can be documented and carried out, leaving you with more time to spend with the people you love. Some helpful tips for discussing the topic include:
Start the conversation early. Having discussions early on means the individuals can still actively participate in the process whilst they are able and ensures that they can make their wishes known.
Be compassionate and sensitive. Conversations about the end of someone’s life can be extremely difficult to think about and can become very emotionally charged. Providing a compassionate environment helps create an open dialogue where people feel safe and comfortable to express their thoughts and preferences.
Involve healthcare professionals. By talking to doctors and end of life carers, you can get better insight into your practical options, based on current health and prognosis.
Decide where to receive care. A key decision to make is choosing where you or your loved one would like to receive care. For many people, passing away at home is the preferred choice so they can be surrounded by their loved ones in a familiar place.
Document decisions. Making sure that people’s preferences and decisions are documented down helps to ensure their wishes are carried out how they planned. This may include things like powers or attorney or living wills.
Why is End of Life Care important for your loved one?
Passing away in comfort and surrounded by family and friends is important, both for your loved one and yourself. Knowing your loved one has been given the chance to spend their final months, weeks or days feeling safe and supported and receiving proper care and attention is incredibly reassuring.
We understand that seeing a loved one going through this process can be distressing, but our carers try to alleviate some of the worries you may have, so you can spend quality time with your loved one.
Helping to Create a Person-Centred Care Plan
When your loved one moves into the final stages of their life, helping their carers to create a person-centred care plan can help give you peace of mind. Learning about the kind of care your loved one will receive and knowing that there is professional support available for them can put your mind at ease, so you are not worrying about whether their needs are being met.
At Abbots Care, we involve loved ones in the planning of care, especially during the later stages of life. No one knows your loved one better than you, and your insight helps ensure their needs and wishes are respected. By sharing what matters most to them, you can help create a calm, secure environment where they feel safe, supported and truly cared for.
Contact Us to Find Out More
At Abbots Care, our expert team of carers have been administering end of life and palliative care services for over 25 years.
To find out more about how our CQC-rated outstanding care services could help you or a loved one, please call us on 0330 094 5511 or get in touch.