Palliative care at home: what to expect
Palliative care at home provides a person with access to care following the diagnosis of a life-limiting illness. This includes pain and symptom management as well as emotional and practical support.
When is someone offered palliative care at home?
Palliative care at home is usually offered when a person is diagnosed with a condition that can’t be cured and is life-limiting. It is available at any stage of a terminal (life-shortening) illness and includes end-of-life care.
Diseases for which someone might be offered palliative care at home include cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, motor neurone disease, or chronic heart disease. It can be provided for a short time, or over many years from when the illness is first diagnosed.
Having palliative care at home avoids lengthy hospital stays or readmission and it’s available for as long as it’s needed.
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What does palliative care at home involve?
The palliative care one person needs at home may differ from someone else – it will depend on their care plan and needs. It’s a personalised form of care that focuses on maintaining your quality of life.
Palliative care at home can include everything from help with daily tasks, such as washing or dressing, to symptom relief and pain control. It’s a package of holistic care that looks to support someone’s wellbeing. Sometimes referred to as ‘hospice at home care’ or ‘supportive care’, these are helpful everyday descriptions of what palliative care offers. It’s about helping a person to get on with their life, not about treating their illness – although that might continue via outpatient appointments.
Palliative care with the Guild
At the Guild, we’ve been providing palliative care services at home to people living in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland since 1995. We are fully regulated by the Care Inspectorate in Scotland and the RQIA in Ireland, with the highest rating for our services.
Our specialist palliative care nurses are available at short notice to support people facing an emergency, individuals wanting to be quickly discharged from hospital, or needing top-up support over and above the care provided by their local authority. Whether you are looking for short-term support or a longer-term care package, we’ll be there for you.
If you need a specialist nurse or healthcare assistant now, get in touch. We’re available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.