What to Expect from End of Life Care at Home

What you need to know: With end of life care at home, your loved one can spend their final days in familiar surroundings while receiving support tailored to their needs and wishes. The care is personalised, so they can receive help with everything from personal care and everyday tasks to comfort and symptom management.

The CareGiver also coordinates with GPs and other professionals involved in the care and support you and your family through respite care and access to bereavement or emotional support when needed. Right At Home Central London offers personalised end of life care at home to meet your exact needs.

When someone you love is nearing the end of their life, you want to make sure they feel comfortable and surrounded by people who matter to them. End of life care at home makes this possible by allowing them to remain in familiar surroundings. You’ll have peace of mind knowing that a professional Carer is there to support them and your family.

If you’ve never arranged this type of support before, it’s completely understandable to have questions about what happens with end of life home care. You may want to know who will care for your loved one and what support they can receive, as well as how you can prepare as a family.

This palliative care home guide walks you through what to expect. With a professional Carer there to help with everyday care, end of life care at home can give you more time to simply be there with your loved one and make the most of the moments you share.

Everyday tasks can become more difficult for your loved one to manage alone, especially as their health and needs change. With a professional Carer, you’ll have someone to provide them with gentle, practical support so they can stay comfortable and maintain their dignity at home.

Their care plan can reflect their preferences and routines. A Care Coordinator will review this plan regularly with the CareGiver so the support can change as your loved one’s condition changes.

• Medication and health support – Carers can provide appropriate medication support while they monitor changes in your loved one’s wellbeing and follow their agreed care plan. When required, they can also provide clinical care and support with pain and symptom management.

• Household tasks – A Carer can take care of everyday jobs such as light cleaning and preparing meals.

• Personal care – They may need help with washing or continence care. A Carer can provide this support sensitively while respecting their privacy and dignity.
  

Just as importantly, Carers can offer your loved one companionship and reassurance. They can personalise the care to ensure that your family has reliable support during this time.

Keeping your loved one comfortable is one of the main priorities of end of life care at home. 

You can think of comfort care as reducing anything that causes distress while increasing anything that brings relief and reassurance. Depending on your loved one’s needs, this may mean:

• Managing uncomfortable symptoms – Their CareGiver can help ease pain and other distressing symptoms, such as nausea and breathlessness.

• Avoiding unnecessary discomfort – Healthcare professionals may review if tests or other interventions can still benefit your loved one and fit their care plan.

• Providing reassurance – Dying at home with support allows your loved one to stay in familiar surroundings with familiar faces. With a Carer, your family is also assured that they’re  receiving the care they need to feel more secure and reassured.

• Supporting physical comfort – This can include keeping their mouth and skin comfortable and helping with bladder and bowel needs.

• Keeping everyone informed – Calm, sensitive communication can help your loved one and your family understand what’s happening and what to expect.

• Respecting personal wishes – Comfort care can also take your loved one’s privacy, as well as spiritual and personal preferences into account.

Managing pain and other symptoms is an important part of hospice care at home. As such, the Carer will regularly assess their symptoms and adjust their treatment when necessary.

Depending on their needs, this may include:

• Prescribed medications 

• Specialist equipment 

• Changing their position 

• Other non-medication approaches to help them feel more comfortable

Carers can also support the agreed care plan from your loved one’s GP. From there, they can observe changes in your loved one’s comfort and communicate concerns to you and the doctor.

End of life care at home is a joint effort between you and the Carer, but it’s also important to involve your loved one’s GP. Even community nurses and hospice professionals have significant roles in their care. 

By communicating and working together, these professionals can keep your loved one’s care consistent with their end of life care plan. This also allows the team to respond when their needs change and allows your loved one to stay comfortably at home with all the medical support they need.

When someone you love is approaching the end of their life, the experience affects everyone. That’s why end of life care at home can also give you and your family some much-needed help during an emotional and difficult time.

Sometimes, simply having someone there to listen can make a difference. You can talk to your loved one’s CareGiver about your concerns and how you’re coping. If you feel you need more support, the care team can also point you towards appropriate professional services, such as counselling and bereavement support. 

Professional end of life care can also include respite care that lets you take a little time for yourself while a CareGiver stays with your loved one. So, you’ll feel assured that they still have the support they need. Likewise, a Carer can take a few tasks out of your hands, such as light housekeeping and preparing meals. You’ll have fewer jobs to worry about and more time to simply be together.

If you’re thinking about end of life care at home in Central London, get in touch with Right at Home Central London. We can talk about what your loved one needs and what would help your family, so we can tailor our support for you through this time.