Care towards the end of life

• Your care will aim to help you carry on doing the things you enjoy, and to live as well and as comfortably as possible.
• You may get this care from a specialist palliative care team. They are experts in managing complex symptoms like pain that’s difficult to control and can provide emotional and psychological support.
• Hospices provide care and support for people with an illness that can’t be cured. They are not just for those at the very end of their life. Hospices may also offer complementary therapies, spiritual care and support for your family.
• GPs, district and community nurses can provide palliative care at home.
• Where you are cared for will depend on your needs and preferences.
• It can be useful to think early on about your future care. For example, where you would like to be cared for and any treatments that you do not want to have.
• Talk to your doctor about your future care as early as you like. You do not have to wait for them to speak to you.

Thinking about the care you want in the future makes it easier for your family and medical team to plan your care and follow your wishes. As you become less well, you may be less able to make decisions or tell your family or medical team what you want. Talk to the medical team if there’s anything you’re worried about, so they can support you. It can be difficult to think about your future care, but it can help you feel more in control.

Planning your care is called advance care planning. There are different ways to make decisions about your care and record them. Ask your medical team to help you with this, or you can make your own record. You may also wish to talk to people close to you about your decisions about your care.

Your wishes may change, and you can make changes to your care plan at any time. If you have given your plan to your healthcare team, remember to tell them if your wishes change.

You can speak to your doctor or nurse about where you would like to be cared for. You may also want to think about where you would like to die and discuss this with them. This can be recorded in any plans you make about your care.

Your doctor or nurse will try to arrange support and care so that you can be cared for where you wish. But this may not always be possible – for example, if there isn’t a bed available at the local hospice. Speak to your family as well so that they are aware of your wishes.

Let your doctor or nurse know if your wishes about where you want to be cared for and die change.