What is An End of Life Care Pathway
When living at home is no longer an option or you require temporary respite care, a residential care home may be the best solution. Deciding on the right type of care, finding a care provider and choosing the most suitable home can all be overwhelming. That’s not even mentioning the costs.
In this post, we’ll clear things up when it comes to care home costs, discussing why care home costs may vary and the funding options that are available to residents.
End of life care can be a difficult thing to think about, let alone discuss. But whilst it can be emotional, it’s crucial to have a plan in place to honour your relatives’ wishes when the time comes. By creating an end of life pathway, you can ensure everyone involved are fully aware of individual requirements to make the remainder of your loved one’s life as comfortable as possible.
In this post, we take a closer look at what’s involved in end of life care and why it’s an important step in the care journey.
What is end of life care?
End of life care involves support and assistance for people at the end of their life, whether it’s the final weeks, months or years. It should be based on the preferences of the individual person and be planned by the people providing the care, the person it concerns and their loved ones.
End of life care pathways
An end of life care pathway will be implemented in the final weeks and days of a person’s life. Put simply, it’s a document which details the steps needed to provide personalised, high quality physical and medical care. It also outlines the resident’s wishes and helps make sure they are as comfortable as they can be in this period.
A resident may want their religious or spiritual beliefs to be reflected in their end of life care, for instance, by refusing certain kinds of treatment.
The pathway will begin when the individual shows symptoms or physical changes which indicate they are dying. The decision to start the pathway is made by the doctor and care team once they have had a discussion with the resident and their family or loved one.
Why it is important
End of life care pathways are an important step in the care journey as it puts the resident’s wishes first and foremost. Without one, the doctor or family members may have to make difficult decisions without knowing exactly what the person would have wanted.
An end of life care plan may even detail how family members will be supported throughout this difficult time. It allows both the residents and their family to be supported in a respectful and dignified way.
We’re here to help you
At Unity Homes, we understand how sensitive this situation is for both residents and their loved ones, which is why we offer both practical and emotional support. If you want to discuss any aspect of nursing, medical or end of life care, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team on 0333 444 4491 or via the link below