What is Involved in End-of-Life Care

End-of-life care is support for people who are in the last years, months or weeks of their life. End-of-life care helps people live as well as possible and then it helps them die with dignity. 

An end-of-life care company should ask about your wishes and preferences, so these can be taken into account when deciding on your care plan. They should also support your family, friends or circle through this time. No matter where you are cared for, whether you opt for home care, hospice care, or hospital care, you have a right to high-quality care, that takes your wishes into account. 

What to Expect from End-of-Life Care

Good end-of-life care is tailored completely to the person who needs it. You, and the people you are close to, will be at the centre of any decisions made about your care. 

It can help to write your wishes down as you start to plan end-of-life care. If you give permission, these can then be shared with anyone involved in helping you. These should be reviewed regularly, as your wishes and needs change, to ensure you are getting the care you want and deserve. 

The staff responsible for end-of-life care should show you respect and should treat you kindly. Your comfort and dignity are the most important thing, so the carers should be putting these at the top of your priority list. 

The Five Priorities of End-of-Life Care

Experts in this area have agreed that there are five important priorities for end-of-life care. These are the things you can expect in the last few days and hours of life:

• You should be seen by a doctor regularly, if this doctor believes you will die soon, they should explain this to you and those close to you. 
• The staff who are caring for you should talk to you and your family kindly but honestly.
• The people close to you should be involved in decisions about how you are to be treated and cared for you, so long as this is what you want too. 
• The needs of your family and those around you should also be considered and met as best as possible.
• An individual care plan should be created for you and it should be delivered with compassion.

Find Out More

If you are researching end-of-life care, we are more than happy to chat to you further about the process. We offer 24-hour care across Surrey and the south of England. Get in touch to find out more about how our team can help you.