What is end of life care?

End of life care is the care and support someone receives in the final stages of their life and can often span their final years, not just the final moments, of their life.

We understand that talking about end of life care can be very difficult for people as it’s often a subject that people find upsetting or awkward to discuss. This is why our dedicated teams are there to support you through these discussions in advance.

End of life care in our homes

Within our care homes, our caring and skilled teams are focussed on getting to know our residents, and their likes and dislikes, as well as the people that are important to them. This ensures we are able to create a home where life is tailored for individuals and their care and support is delivered how they want it to be. There are a range of activities and hobbies available to take part in and homecooked meals are lovingly prepared by our chef.

We also believe it’s important, as part of advance care planning, to proactively discuss end of life care with our residents and those closest to them, to give our residents the opportunity to specify their wishes.

Talking in advance with someone about what they want to happen when they are at the end of their life is essential as it ensures they are able to state what they want to happen, who they want to be with them, and what they want in place before and after they have gone.

Using this information, along with the Department of Health’s guidance on palliative care, and partnerships with health professionals and hospices, our teams are able to support our residents to ensure they not only have a happy and fulfilled life while they are with us, but also a dignified death that meets their wishes.

What happens next?

We understand you might be unsure about what to do next, uncertain about your options and where to go from here. The care sector can be confusing to navigate and, combined with a wide range of different emotions and pressure to find a solution, it can be difficult to know where to turn.

This is why we pride ourselves on being there to provide help and support to residents as well as their families, friends, and advocates.

Contact a member of our team at your local care home, which you can find details about on our search here, and we can have a chat about your personal circumstances and discuss the options available.

We’re here to help.