What should you know about end of life care services?

Care may be provided at home, in a hospice, in hospital, or through a coordinated combination of settings. A team can help manage pain, breathlessness, nausea, anxiety, agitation, constipation, fatigue, and other changes. Nurses, doctors, social workers, counsellors, therapists, spiritual-care workers, and trained volunteers may contribute according to the person’s needs and wishes.

The plan is personal. It can cover preferred place of care, who should be contacted, cultural or spiritual practices, food and drink preferences, personal care, medicines, equipment, and support for family members. End-of-life care is not limited to the final hours; support can begin when comfort and quality of life become the main goals. Palliative care can also support people earlier while they receive treatment for an illness.

Ask the treating clinician for a referral or contact the local palliative or hospice service. Share the person’s symptoms, medicines, mobility, communication needs, preferred setting, and who helps at home. Keep a written list of medicines and the service’s daytime and out-of-hours contact numbers.

Discuss what matters most before a crisis: which treatments are wanted, who can speak for the person if they cannot communicate, and what practical help the family may need. Ask about equipment, nursing visits, respite, emotional support, and how prescriptions will be renewed. Plans can be revisited when the person’s condition or wishes change.

Call the care team promptly for uncontrolled pain, severe breathlessness, new agitation, repeated vomiting, inability to take essential medicines, a fall, or a sudden change that worries you. Use emergency services for severe breathing difficulty, unresponsiveness, heavy bleeding, or immediate danger, unless an agreed care plan gives different instructions. Keep the team’s number accessible so families do not have to decide alone during a crisis.

Who coordinates the care, and whom do we call overnight? Which symptoms should we report immediately? What medicines and equipment should be available at home? How can the person record care preferences, and what support is available for family carers?