When it comes to serious illness, the complexities of healthcare can be overwhelming for families and their loved ones. The terms “end-of-life care” and “palliative care” are often used interchangeably, when in fact, they represent distinct approaches to compassionate support. Understanding these differences will go a long way in ensuring that individuals receive the right care at the right time. At Verilife, we are committed to providing expert carers who are passionate about delivering personalised and empathetic care. While end-of-life care is a specific form of palliative care that focuses solely on the final stages of life, palliative care itself is a broader approach designed to enhance the quality of life for those with a serious illness at any stage.
Read on for a detailed look into these two types of care, the differences between them, and how the professionals at Verilife can help.
A terminal illness can be extremely challenging both mentally and physically for both the patient and their loved ones. It involves coping with intense emotional stress, anxiety, and grief while managing physical pain, fatigue, and other debilitating symptoms. Receiving palliative care can help you manage the pain, as well as reduce the associated distressing symptoms.
The aim of palliative care is not just about making you comfortable, it is about empowering individuals to live the fullest of lives for as long as possible. This approach focuses on enhancing the quality of their life by addressing all the components involved from emotional, social, and spiritual needs to the medical ones, enabling patients to pursue their passions and maintain meaningful relationships with their family, friends, and colleagues. In short, palliative care treats the whole person and not just their illness or its symptoms.
While palliative care includes end-of-life care, the key differentiator is that it can be given at any point along the treatment process. The time spent in palliative care differs from person to person depending on the illness and the type of support they require. For instance, some of the individuals in our care living with terminal cancer have sought palliative care from the moment of diagnosis and continued with it throughout their chemotherapy treatment and beyond – sometimes over a matter of years. Whilst other patients under our care have only requested palliative care during tougher moments in their journey or solely in the months or weeks leading up to their transition into receiving end-of-life care.
Palliative care is provided to individuals who:
Palliative care can take many forms depending on the requirements of the individual concerned. At Verilife, we personalise care plans for everyone we look after. When it comes to the type of care delivered, there is no one sized-fits-all approach to be taken. However, it is possible for us to provide some examples to demonstrate how palliative care can be tailored to meet the unique needs of individuals with different diagnoses.
For instance, let us imagine a middle-aged cancer patient living with advance stage lung cancer who lives at home with family and wants to receive palliative care to aid symptom management. Let’s assume, the aim of their palliative care provision is to maintain quality of life and stay at home, surrounded by loved ones and that their symptoms are managed effectively, allowing them to enjoy family activities and personal hobbies as much as possible.
In this scenario, our specialist home carers may decide to take a multidisciplinary approach to their care. This may include a nurse who visits regularly to manage their pain and administer medications. The team will monitor symptoms such as breathlessness and fatigue, adjusting treatment plans, as necessary. They may also provide nutritional advice and collaborate with their oncologist to ensure a consistent treatment plan. Additionally, a social worker may visit regularly to offer counselling for both the individual being cared for and their family to help them cope with the emotional challenges of their diagnosis and to aid the emotional support provided by our carer.
Our care team may educate the family on how to assist with daily tasks and provide guidance and resources for additional support.
Let us now imagine an elderly patient suffering from congestive heart failure and needing comprehensive support. They live alone, but family members are nearby. Let’s assume that the aim of their palliative care provision is to ensure they experience fewer hospital visits and can live independently with a support system in place. The patient wants to maintain a decent quality of life, enjoying hobbies as they have always done and socialising with friends and family.
In this case, our carers may decide that the patient receives palliative care focused on complete support for his heart condition. A specialised nurse may be arranged to visit multiple times a week to monitor things like blood pressure, weight, and symptoms like swelling and shortness of breath. The nurse would collaborate with the patient’s cardiologist to adjust medications and manage his symptoms proactively.
Additional support may come in the form of a physical therapist who visits to help with exercises that improve mobility and breathing capacity. A dietician may be enlisted to assist with meal planning to help the patient stick to a low-sodium diet and maintain his weight for example.
Our assigned care giver can also assist with household tasks, cleaning, medication reminders, and arranging transport to hospital appointments and whatever else may be needed day to day.
End-of-life care is the final stage of palliative care. If a patient is receiving end-of-life care, it means that they are being cared and supported for in the last months, weeks, or days of their life. The aim at this stage is to help the patient be as comfortable as possible and to die with dignity. The care focuses on managing pain for physical symptoms and providing the emotional guidance and support needed for both the patient, their family, and other loved ones.
If they have not been had already, meaningful conversations are encouraged so that the patient can express all their dying wishes and needs, right down to the last detail. Our carers excel at helping patients and their loved ones express their desires and needs with each other like who would they like present, where would they like to die, funeral decisions, etc. Our carers record all decisions and discussions in a patient’s personalised care plan to ensure everyone involved is aware of a patient’s wishes, and it is reviewed constantly.
We support loved ones through the entire process too and our carers are always happy to answer questions about the care plan and the treatment the patient is receiving. We are as inclusive as we can be.
This final stage of care is so important. As carers, we only get one chance to make sure a patient’s journey ends the way they want it to, and with dignity, compassion, and heart.
End-of-life care is provided to individuals who are within weeks or days of the end of their life. Specifically:
End-of-Life Care can be delivered in a hospital, hospice, or specialist care home. Many people choose to be at home (if possible) to be cared for when they reach this final stage of their life and this is where professional, compassionate, and dedicated carers like our team at Verilife, can help.
If you or a loved one need either palliative or end-of-life home care services, by choosing Verilife, you can rest assured that our team provides the highest standard of care, tailored to meet the unique needs of each individual and their family. During this incredibly challenging time, our team will work closely with you and your loved ones to make you as comfortable and dignified as possible. It is never easy, but having passionate, authentic staff like ours will make all the difference. Contact us at your convenience, and we will be happy to listen to your requirements and help wherever we can.
With Verilife, you can be sure that our team ticks all the boxes that you need. Our flexible services can be tailored to your budget, with care workers that are genuinely passionate about providing personal, high-quality care. With a Good CQC rating to reassure you, why not enquire today? Email hello@verilife.co.uk or call 02045278785.
