Choosing End of Life Care for your Family Members
Choosing the Right End of Life Care
Choosing end-of-life care for family members is never going to be easy, after all, you’re contemplating life without them. One thing that you should never be worrying about at a time like this, though, is finding the right care. If at all possible, a conversation should have been had with your loved one while they were still able to make choices about where they would like to spend their final weeks and days. Some people choose a hospice or feel that the hospital would be the appropriate place, not realising that they can choose to remain in the place that means the most to them – their own home. Letting your loved one make the decision themselves is always the best option; however, if that isn’t possible, it’s important that you and the rest of the family are in a place that you also feel comfortable. You need to be able to spend as much time with them as you wish and know they’ll be well looked after, ideally in surroundings that are familiar to the entire family.

The Different Types of End of Life Care
End-of-life care is the end of the palliative care journey, the last few weeks or days before someone passes away. Helping Hands offers end of life care at home, meaning your loved one can spend their remaining time in the place they love best, surrounded by the people that mean the most to them.
Live-in Care
Live-in care means that your loved one will have someone living in their home with them around the clock. This is reassurance for you as well as them, knowing they’ll never be alone. Your local care manager will work closely with you all, where appropriate, to make sure the right carer is selected, offering continual support for as long as they’re needed.
Visiting Care
Your local branch will be able to provide home visits to your loved one at set times of the day or week. This can be arranged to fit around your visits and other family support or complement the care you provide for your loved one. This can be very useful if you need to take a break and some time for yourself, knowing the person you love is being cared for.
Overnight Care
End-of-life can often involve around-the-clock care, with your loved one needing someone there overnight as well. This can put enormous strain on family members as your own life is put on hold. But by having overnight care in place, you can get a good night’s sleep and a chance to relax without worrying that your loved one is left in a vulnerable position.
Emergency Care
Needs can change quickly, especially when someone is at the end of their life, as deterioration in condition can happen without warning. We have a quick and responsive service that can adapt to your requirements as your needs change, with branches across England and Wales all fully regulated by the CQC and CIW.
How to Discuss End of Life Care With Family Members
Discussing end of life care is not always an easy conversation, especially if your loved one is still at a stage where they are living relatively independently and their condition is still manageable through treatments and therapies. It’s crucial that they receive the care they want as their life draws to a conclusion though, which is why it’s so important to have the conversation while they’re still able to make those decisions. Person-centred care focusses on what the individual wants, and that’s all we deliver at Helping Hands. Explaining to someone that they’re going to need additional support in their own home isn’t always well received, yet the key is to approach the topic carefully, when you’re all calm and able to talk openly. Respecting each other’s point of view and listening carefully will also mean that you all feel valued and heard.

The Importance of Compassion
Marie Curie agrees that end of life care should be person-centred and compassionate. “Involve the dying person and those important to them in decisions about their care. Identify, and meet, each person’s physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs.” Being compassionate is an essential part of person-centred care, as delivering compassionate care means we’re taking note of every element of the individual’s desire for their care plan. Everyone deserves to have their wishes adhered to when they’re going to require care, especially if they’re receiving it in their own home, a place where it’s easiest to deliver person-centred care. This is because it’s usually one-to-one and the carer doesn’t have responsibility for many other people, as they would in a care home environment.
Key Considerations When Planning End of Life Care for Family Members
Looking after someone else is incredibly rewarding but can be exhausting, which is why you have to ensure you take time out for yourself when caring for a loved one. Marie Curie reiterates, “Caring for someone at the end of their life can be distressing. Look after your own wellbeing and ask for help and support if you need it.” While it’s essential to support the person, it’s vitally important that caregivers are supported too, otherwise carer ‘burnout’ can occur which will impact on everyone involved. It’s also important to:
- Communicate clearly – carers and the person being cared for have to make sure they communicate well, and try to make it as unemotional as possible. This isn’t easy when it’s someone that you love dearly, however by keeping calm and staying as focussed as possible things can be managed more effectively.
- Meet needs – Helping Hands carers are experienced in working with multidisciplinary professionals, such as the GP surgery, community nurse and specialists such as Marie Curie or Admiral care teams. It’s important to us that your loved one’s care runs as smoothly as possible, which is why we’re so conscientious in what we do.

Emotional Support for Family Members
You need someone supporting you and your loved one who understands; who’s been there. Our carers are experienced people who know just how to best support people at the most difficult stages of their life. Physical care is vitally important but you also need emotional support and all-round holistic care to cope with the journey you’re all going on. Holistic care means every aspect of your care needs are supported, that’s physical, psychological, social and spiritual. Knowing that your emotional needs will also be taken into consideration at such a difficult time means that you get to continue managing your life and being a caregiver doesn’t take over.
How Helping Hands Can Help You
We are the UK’s most trusted home care provider because we’ve been supporting people in their own homes since 1989. This is important because you need to know that your family is in the very best hands at such a difficult time. Our carers are chosen because they’re compassionate, kind, and discreet. They’re always there, but will never overstep boundaries or encroach on your family time. From the first moment you call us, we’ll take care of you, and with our services fully regulated by the CQC and Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW), you’ll never be in any doubt that we’re the home care experts. Being regulated is important because many care companies choose not to be, which means they have no standards to adhere to. We choose to hold ourselves up to regulation so that our customers know they’ll always receive the highest quality care, no matter what.
