End-of-Life Care
End-of-Life Care
Passing away peacefully, with dignity and within familiar surroundings is what many of us would wish for. End-of-life care at home allows you – or a loved one – to do just this in the place you feel most comfortable and safe.
Because change can be disruptive and unbalancing, as can the process of settling into a completely new environment such as a hospice or hospital, fully-managed end-of-life Home Care lets you or a family member stay at home, surrounded by loved ones and special comforts.
End-of-life care, also known as palliative care, provides the support that is needed towards the end of someone's life, allowing them to pass in the most peaceful and comfortable way. While some people spend their final days in a hospital, hospice or nursing home, end-of-life care at home has become a preferred option for those who wish to spend their last moments in their own homes, and surrounded by their loved ones.
A fully trained carer can offer regular support with many tasks to make you or a loved one feel comfortable and safe during what can be a distressing time.
This includes:
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Personal Care – supporting with bathing and showering
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Support with toileting, including changing continence pads or using a commode
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Mobility support, such as help moving position in bed and help with standing or sitting – and using hoists when required
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Administering or prompting medication and supporting pain management
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Changing bedding and housekeeping duties
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Preparing meals and snacks to taste, and dietary requirements
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Complex Care, such as support with catheters, stomas and PEG feeding
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Ongoing companionship and emotional support
At Clarion Health, we focus on promoting independence and respecting your dignity and privacy. Your dedicated care manager will work with you and your family to understand what your specific needs are and how the chosen carer can maintain those important boundaries.
Options for End-of-Life
There are many options for end-of-life support at home. Most importantly, a care package is created that is completely unique to you or your loved one's needs, with an expertly trained carer whom you feel most comfortable with. On calling our team, one of our home care specialists will talk you through the options for your family and can even arrange a face-to-face meeting with your local Clarion care manager, who is a specialist in end-of-life care, so you can find out more.
The options for end-of-life care at home include:
Live-in Care for end of life
A live-in carer will stay in the home with you, being on-hand to provide the support that is needed when it's needed most. Your care manager will work with you to carefully choose one of our fully trained carers, finding the person who is the right fit for your family. This carer will offer continuous support and be someone that you and your family get to know: a familiar face and source of encouragement and comfort.
Live-in-care can be arranged for as little as three days. You will just need a spare room for your carer to sleep in, although some families in emergency situations do provide a hotel or other place to stay. You can even arrange for constant 24-hour support, with another chosen carer providing relief support. Call us to find out more.
Home visits at set times
Your local Clarion Health branch provides visits for set times each day or week. These can be from as little as 25 minutes all the way through to several hours at a time or a few visits each day. Among many other things, visiting care offers a very useful sitting service if a family member needs a few hours to rest. Other families use it for extra support with housekeeping or cooking meals so they can concentrate more time and energy on those precious final moments together.
Some people feel more comfortable receiving personal care from a trained carer rather than a family member or friend. All of our carers go through thorough training to offer personal care support in a way that respects personal space and preserves their dignity at all times.
Overnight end-of-life care at home
If your loved one needs constant support overnight, maybe with medication, pain management or going to the toilet, you can also arrange overnight care. It's a valuable service that allows you, or another caregiver, to rest yourself so you can be fresh for the next day.
This support can come in the form of either:
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Waking night support: for constant support throughout the night
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Sleeping night support: for the peace of mind of someone being in the house if your loved one does wake