End of Life Care and What To Expect

Our CareGivers deliver palliative care sensitively and with dignity

Supporting families in end of life care at home

At Right at Home, we ensure that our end of life care at home is delivered sensitively and with dignity. We strive to help your loved one to control pain and to keep them as comfortable as possible as they approach the end of their life.

We stay with our clients to the end of their journey through life, with their trusted preferred CareGivers providing specialist palliative care and support for the whole family. With support from a regular Carer, family members can focus their attention on their loved one and on each other.

To see if Right at Home’s at home care services can help, get in touch with your local office today.

Our end of life care at home services

End of life care typically covers the last year of our Client’s life. Though, for some people, the length of time that they require our specialist care may vary.

We can provide round-the-clock companionship, personal care, monitoring and help with medication. Our CareGivers will visit you on multiple days a week, as agreed in your personalised care plan. We also offer live-in care and respite care for those who may need it.

Our CareGivers are also experienced in supporting families in end of life care, by offering respite from daily tasks. During such a difficult time, even simple tasks can feel overwhelming. That’s why our CareGivers can also help with light housekeeping, laundry and meal preparation.

At Right at Home, we work closely with hospices, GPs and community nurses. When it’s needed, we’ll help our Clients’ loved ones to access sources of emotional and practical support.

We are dedicated to providing the support you need during a difficult time. Our end of life care at home services have provided comfort and reassurance to many Clients:

"I am enormously grateful to Right at Home for their wonderful support and care of my elderly father in his last months. Dad was very fortunate to have such a fantastic team of carers who always impressed with their care, kindness and genuine love for their work."

F R | Daughter of Client

What Is Included In End Of Life Care?

End of life care is a part of a palliative care plan. Our specialist care aims to help our Clients to live as comfortably as possible for the remaining duration of their lives.

End of life care can sound daunting, so we’ve broken down our end of life care, what to expect, and how you may want to prepare.

Palliative Care

People often ask us: ‘what is the difference between palliative and end of life care?’ In fact, palliative care and end of life care are often used interchangeably.

The main difference is that palliative care can be given at any stage of a terminal illness and many people receive palliative symptom management for years.

Receiving palliative care is a big part of our end of life care service. This includes managing the physical aspects of a dying person’s condition, such as pain and other symptoms. Our aim is always to make our Clients as comfortable as possible.

Physical Support

Our care workers ensure that our Clients are clean and comfortable during the last days of life. We offer help with eating or drinking as well as personal care and even physical support when moving around the house.

We really believe that quality of life is important. So beyond physical support, we help to maintain a comfortable environment, with light housekeeping and laundry services.

Emotional Support

Perhaps most importantly, our CareGivers are companions to our Clients and their loved ones. Our high quality care services centre on building trusting relationships and providing support in difficult circumstances.

The benefits of end of life care span beyond our Client alone and help to provide support and respite for family members too. Importantly, our end of life care involves directing people to resources for bereavement support and financial support.

For information about how to prepare for care at home, visit our Information Hub.

FAQs about our end of life care services

When does end of life care begin?

In short, end of life care should begin when it is needed. It may last a few days, a few months or even a few years - it can vary from person to person.

It can be difficult to predict when someone is likely to pass, but end of life care is considered to be for those in the last 12 months of life. You may employ our end of life care services for only a short time. Or, you may require a longer-term care plan if your loved one:

Has an advanced, incurable disease
Is generally frail and have co-existing conditions
Has an existing condition and is at risk from dying if they have a sudden crisis
Has a life threatening acute condition caused by a sudden event, such as a stroke or an accident

What are the signs of end of life?

Knowing what to expect as someone passes can be a comfort for loved ones and family members.

They may not want to eat or drink

When nearing the end of life, people may lose the desire to eat or drink. It can be comforting to give them ice chips or to wet their lips to keep them moist. On the whole, never force someone to eat, as this may cause choking and discomfort.

They may withdraw

Your loved one may withdraw and not respond to others around them when they are nearing end of life. They may be slow and seem confused. In some cases, our Clients may also present signs of delirium, such as hallucinations.

We understand that this can we worrying to see, so our Carers will help to maintain a calm and supportive environment.

Most people are often able to hear, even if they cannot speak, so it may be comforting to continue to talk to them even if they do not respond.

There may be physical changes

There may also be a few physical changes that could indicate someone is nearing the end of their life.

They may feel tired or weak
They may pass less urine and it will usually be dark in colour
Their hands and feet may be cold and appear blotchy or blue
They may have an irregular heartbeat
Their blood pressure may decrease
Their breathing may become irregular. This can be shallow breathing, with short periods of no breathing at all or rapid. deep breathing

If you’re concerned about any of these symptoms, speak to a member of our team to discuss end of life care at home.

You can find information and support relating to end-of-life care on the NHS website.

Their ‘End Of Life Care Guide’ explains what you can expect from end of life care and gives information about an individual’s rights and choices. This includes: refusing treatment, setting down their wishes for future treatment, and arranging to give someone the legal right to make decisions for them, if they are no longer capable.

The guide also contains information on discussing these issues with family members.

Our team are experienced in supporting families through end of life care, including the associated legal responsibilities. Speak to your local Right at Home office for help and support.

Our Trusted Services

Families just like yours, trust and rely on Right at Home to provide high-quality homecare services for their loved ones. We offer a wide range of services to support Clients to remain living safely and independently in the comfort of their own home.