Discovering that you or a loved one has a progressive or life-limiting condition is incredibly tough. It often takes time to process the news without the capacity to make immediate decisions about how and where to manage an ongoing condition or work out the best way to prepare for changes in mobility or cognition.
There is never a right or wrong answer, and there are various ways forward depending on your wishes and preferences. Examples include hospices that offer end-of-life care, specialist nursing centres or dementia units, or at-home support from carers who work and live in your community.
Guardian Angel Carers, a sector-leading nationwide network of home care teams, tackles this difficult subject and shares insights from experienced care professionals about some of the options you might want to consider when the time is right.
An Introduction to Palliative and End-of-Life Care
Nearly all of us have, at some point, had to try to come to terms with the fact that a parent, grandparent, or partner has received an unwelcome diagnosis, which will impact their ability to live independently and comfortably or mean that they may have a limited amount of time left.
The first piece of advice we'd share is that there are numerous options. Our role, as with colleagues working elsewhere in the health and social care sector, is to offer support, information, and help while you make these decisions or look into how one type of care might work compared to another.
Importantly, palliative care and end-of-life care sound similar but are nuanced, and there is absolutely no need to wait until a person is struggling or in distress before you seek help.
While some medical conditions may necessitate care in a nursing or hospital facility, more often, symptoms can take time to progress, and putting earlier-stage support in place can make a world of difference.
Contrasts Between End-of-Life and Palliative Care
End-of-life care is just that: it means we step in when a person does not have long to live and do everything possible to ensure they are free of pain, comfortable, supported, and never alone. Having an end-of-life care team can provide great assurance for family members who know their loved one is in safe hands.
Palliative care differs because it is a care structure that can be used for conditions that progress slowly, as a long-term approach rather than an interim or emergency measure.
Examples include conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, with some people living for several years until the condition begins to make a more marked impact on their cognition, movement or comprehension.
Dementia is another relevant condition, where an individual might have a strong preference against living in a care centre or medical facility while they are very capable of completing most tasks independently and want to make the most of their time, spending it with friends and social groups and enjoying their favourite hobbies.
We also organise palliative care for families where a person may have a condition that affects their quality of life but is not expected to limit their life expectancy. Palliative care isn't only for people with life-limiting or terminal illnesses; it can offer improved care continuity and support for those with a chronic condition that is likely to worsen over time.
Types of End-of-Life and Palliative Care to Consider
As always, the right options will vary between each family, and you can consider aspects such as the costs of care, the amount of time you anticipate needing professional care assistance, the wishes of the individual in need of care, and when you would like a support plan to begin.
Residential Hospices
Most towns and cities have at least one or two hospice centres, many of which are run by charitable trusts. Depending on the health and well-being of the person, you might also be offered some degree of residential palliative care support in an NHS hospital if you wish.
Some hospices have stricter admission criteria and might only admit residents who have a terminal diagnosis or provide respite care to give family carers a break rather than ongoing residential placements.
Hospice settings tend to feel more homely than hospitals, although they remain clinical environments. They are typically staffed by carers but with nurses or doctors on hand or available through a call system to respond to emergencies or declines in a resident's health.
Care or Nursing Homes
Care homes and nursing homes both offer longer-term residential care. Some provide general care and help with mobility, personal care, and eating, while others focus on nursing assistance or helping residents with specific needs or conditions.
The quality and level of support available will depend on the care centre since these can vary, but many will provide private accommodation for each resident, with communal areas and activities for mealtimes and entertainment.
At-Home Palliative and End-of-Life Care
We know that a huge proportion of people state that their preference is to remain at home, surrounded by familiar objects and mementoes, pets and loved ones, without needing to think about selling their home and moving somewhere new while dealing with poor health or declining cognition.
Studies have also found that continuity and familiarity can be essential for older adults. The upheaval and disruption of relocating can contribute to distress and confusion that can make things harder for all involved.
At-home palliative or end-of-life care works in much the same way as in a hospice or residential home but in the privacy and comfort of the individual's property.
We can arrange visiting carers, a team of wraparound respite carers, overnight care professionals, or live-in carers to provide the assistance needed, from companionship and domiciliary help to more specialist at-home nursing support.
Looking to the future is always wise. In many cases, the person with a life-limiting or progressive diagnosis can clarify their wishes now and have an active role in setting up their care rather than leaving loved ones to advocate for them, who are often left hoping they are respecting the decisions the individual would have made were they able.
Read more about Guardian Angel Carers - Leading UK Home Care Agency, Guardian Angel Carers, Comments on the Impacts of Virtual Wards on the Sector
About Guardian Angel Carers
Guardian Angel Carers is a leading home care provider dedicated to delivering compassionate, personalised care services. With a strong focus on independence, dignity, and quality of life, the company supports individuals in the comfort of their own homes, offering a range of services from companionship to complex care needs.
******
Source Company – https://www.gacarers.co.uk/
