End of life care is support for those who are in the final months of their life. Its focus is to help individuals live as comfortably as possible, and to die with dignity. It includes managing symptoms, providing practical assistance, addressing spiritual needs and offering emotional and psychological support for the individual and their loved ones. End of life care can be provided at home, in hospitals and hospices. Regardless of setting, the goal is always to respect an individual’s wishes and providing a serene and dignified end of life experience.
It should be considered when an individual is facing a prognosis of six months or less and when treatments are no longer effective or desired. When end of life care is in place, the focus of care will shift from trying to cure the illness to maintaining quality of life. It is usually considered where:
Advanced illnesses where a person has a progressive, life-limiting illness such as heart failure, advanced cancer or COPD where treatments are no longer improving their condition.
Increased number of hospitalisations or visits to A&E due to complications of the illness. This indicates that end of life care may be better to manage symptoms and provide comfort at home.
Symptoms become too difficult to manage despite treatments, in this case, end of life care can provide specialised support to alleviate these symptoms.
The individual expresses a desire to focus on comfort and rather than treatments, and to spend their remaining time in a supportive and familiar environment.
Both palliative and end of life care aim to improve quality of life. However, the main difference is timing and scope. Palliative care is provided at any stage of a serious illness, starting from diagnosis and alongside treatments. It can be long-term and sometimes, lasts for years. It concentrates on relieving symptoms, pain and stress to improve overall quality of life for the individual and their loved ones.
On the other hand, end of life care is specifically for those in the final months or weeks of life, where treatments are no longer effective or desired. It concentrates on dignity and comfort, addressing physical, emotional and spiritual needs to ensure a peaceful end of life experience.
End of life care can be provided in several settings. This will depend on each person’s needs and preferences.
At home: Many people prefer to spend their final days in the comfort of their own home, surrounded by their loved ones and in familiar surroundings. Care at home allows for the most personalised and intimate setting.
Hospitals: End of life care in hospitals are most suited for those requiring complex and intensive medical support. Hospitals are equipped to handle advanced medical emergencies and needs.
Hospices: Hospices specialise in end of life care, offering a home-like environment while providing comprehensive support that includes medical, emotional and spiritual care.
Care Homes: Care homes offer support for those who do not have the support system to stay at home and require assistance with daily activities. Care homes offer a supportive environment with health professionals available around the clock.
At Cavendish Homecare we are experts in providing private palliative homecare for individuals with terminal illnesses who want to return or remain in their own homes. We understand that at such a stressful and sensitive time, specialist private nursing care and trustworthy support can make a huge difference. We work to support the patients, their families, friends, district nurses, palliative teams, and any spiritual needs to support your Palliative care.
Contact us if you would like to enquire about our Palliative Care services in London and the Home Counties.
During her time as a Youth Worker at Challengers, a charity dedicated to supporting children and young people with disabilities, Zahrah demonstrated excellence in assisting in the delivery of inclusive play activities. She gained knowledge in Makaton, and underwent training in Crisis Prevention/Intervention, specifically focusing on managing challenging verbal and physical behaviours.
Currently holding a key role within Cavendish Homecare’s operations team, Zahrah takes charge of ensuring the seamless set up of new cases, managing the distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE) to clients and the nursing and carer teams, organising staff training and providing crucial support to Nurse Managers.