End of Life Care at Home
We know from our experience of supporting people who are nearing the end of life, how upsetting and distressing it can be for all the family. It is a very emotional time for all involved that requires a sensitive, compassionate and respectful approach to care.
Our high-quality end of life care at home provides effective management of any symptoms a person may be experiencing, whilst supporting a person’s emotional and psychological needs. There are many benefits to staying in the secure, familiar and comfortable surroundings of your own home when you need end-of-life care.
Moving during the later years of life can be traumatic and an upheaval. For those who need end-of-life care, the thought of moving into a care home setting or a hospice can only add to the stress and upset they are already likely to be feeling.
Here, we explain what end of life care at home is, the many benefits of it and how we can help you if you need this type of care.
What is End of Life Care at Home?
End-of-life care at home allows a person to spend their final days in familiar surroundings, rather than moving into a hospital or hospice.
Here at The Good Care Group, we specialise in supporting those who wish to receive this care in their own home through our end-of-life live-in care service.
In a 2023 survey around public attitudes to death, dying and bereavement, Marie Curie found 56% of all respondents wanted to die at home, while 42% with a terminal illness in their final years of life chose the home as their preferred place of death*.
Government statistics for end-of-life care in 2022, however, have shown that just 28.7% of people died at home**.
Our sensitive and respectful approach to end-of-life care enables this wish. Through providing a specialist end-of-life care pathway, we are proud to have enabled 83% of our clients to pass away in the comfort of their own home.
Sources:
* Marie Curie, Public attitudes to death, dying and bereavement in the UK re-visited: 2023 survey, Policy briefing, October 2024 (accessed 31/01/2025)
**Office for Health Improvement & Disparities, Official Statistics: Palliative and end of life care profile December 2023 update: Statistical commentary; Updated 17 September 2024 (accessed 31/01/2025)
Planning Home Care for End of Life
Planning end-of-life care is something none of us wish to do. Many of us simply do not want to address what the future holds, what will happen at the end or how or where care will be received.
However, for families in this situation the earlier you can have an open and honest conversation about your wishes and preferences, the sooner a plan of end of life home care can be put in place.
This specialist care plan will not just aim to meet your care needs but will address your choices and wishes that you would like considered, right to the very end.
A survey conducted by Dying Matters in 2021*** found that only 8% of people had put in place medical / emotional support for the end of their lives. Just 31% of adults knew how to make arrangements to ensure they die in the environment they wish to.
Source:
***Hospice UK, Thousands dying every year without wishes being met, survey reveals, 10 May 2021 (Accessed 31/01/2025)
What to Expect With End of Life Care at Home?
✔ Managing Medications – We use an electronic system to manage medications and collect prescriptions.
✔ Specialist Nurse-Led Care – Our carers monitor health changes and collaborate with healthcare professionals to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions.
✔ Companionship & Psychological Support – We provide emotional support and companionship to ensure life remains interesting, stimulating and enjoyable.
✔ Personal Care – Support with bathing, dressing, continence care, and maintaining personal hygiene with dignity.
✔ Meal Planning & Cooking – Nutrition-focused meal plans tailored to individual preferences, with feeding support if needed.
✔ Social Arrangements – Carers facilitate visits from family and friends.
✔ Trips & Community Visits – Assistance with outings to maintain social connections and independence.
✔ Domestic Tasks – Cleaning, vacuuming, and maintaining household tidiness.
✔ Pet Care – Carers help look after pets for continued companionship.
End of Life Care vs Palliative Care – What’s the Difference?
End-of-life Care | Palliative Care | |
Goal | Designed to support individuals during the final stages of a life-limiting illness, ensuring comfort, pain management and emotional well-being before death. | Designed to support individuals affected by life-limiting illnesses to improve their quality of life and even lifespan. This can be done through symptom management, companionship and emotional support. |
Duration | It’s typically delivered for a short period of time, lasting days or weeks. | Depending on a person’s condition, it can span months or years. |
When is it Delivered? | End-of-life care is delivered as a person approaches the latter stages of their life – usually their final weeks or days. | Palliative care can be delivered at any point during a life-limiting illness. |
Family Support | We’re here to provide emotional support, guidance and bereavement care during and after a loved one’s passing. | We provide ongoing support for families throughout the illness, helping them to deal and process a challenging situation. |
Available at Home | Yes | Yes |
To find out more about our palliative care service, please visit our palliative care at home page.
What are the Benefits of End of Life Care at Home?
End-of-life care can provide many benefits, including:
One-to-one care around the clock
Having a dedicated carer providing one-to-one care who truly understands your needs and wishes at the end of life can improve the experience.
Highly personalised approach to end of life care
A uniquely developed care plan designed to meet your care and support needs. It will also focus on how you wish to live day to day to the end of life.
Familiar and comforting surroundings
Being cared for in the privacy, familiarity and comfort of your own home, with all your memories and treasured possessions, provides significant benefits for your overall well-being.
Peace of mind for you and your family
If you are receiving end of life care at home, you can see your family and friends at any time you wish without having to stick to visiting times or visiting routines.
Book a Live in Care Home Meeting
03330 605 255
Why choose The Good Care Group?
We have been providing high quality, live-in care to families in England and Scotland for over 10 years. At the heart of our award-winning service is enabling people to live independently in their own home with an improved quality of life.
Our approach to care at home means our clients can achieve improved health and well-being. For families, they benefit from peace of mind and reassurance that their loved one is receiving the very best care and support.
Five-Star Rating
We are fully regulated in England and Scotland. This means the care and support we provide is regularly inspected. We are one of 3% only of home care providers in England to achieve an ‘Outstanding’ rating by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
Expertly Trained Carers
All our professional carers are required to complete our leading training programme before they care for our clients. Our programme has been created with leading charities and clinical experts. It goes beyond mandatory requirements in the care sector.
In-House Clinical Experts
We have a dedicated team of in-house clinical experts, including a specialist consultant nurse, who also provides Admiral Nurse services for those living with dementia, and a clinical lead, who oversees clinical practice to ensure the highest standards of care.
Case study: Anne’s story – the dignity and comfort mum deserved
My mum was 97 and very frail following a series of strokes over the last 10 years. After another significant stroke, she was admitted to hospital, where she was also diagnosed with heart failure.
When the doctors told us that mum now needed palliative care, I knew straight away there was only one place she would want to receive it. In her own home, surrounded by memories, family and friends and her faithful cat Freddie.
I contacted The Good Care Group, with a view to bringing mum home for the last time.
One of their Care Managers visited us in hospital before she was discharged, to understand mum’s needs and wishes. She spent time talking to the doctors and nurses and created a holistic plan of care which would keep mum comfortable and pain free at home, living with dignity and respect in the time she had left.
The Care Manager knew the two professional carers on her team she wanted to look after mum. It came as such a relief to learn that both were experienced in delivering end-of-life care and were extremely well trained.
They cared for mum in her room, with her favourite music – Mozart – playing gently in the background. Whenever she woke, day or night, she was treated to the sound of his symphonies, which seemed to keep her calm and at peace.
The carers cooked her small portions of her favourite meals – it was agreed she would eat what she wanted, when she wanted. They used her favourite scented soap to wash her each day and spent hours just sitting, holding her hands, rubbing cream into her skin and keeping her nails trim.
Even in the last days, when it was sometimes hard to tell if she knew we were there, they did not deviate from her wishes. She passed away a few weeks later, with her cat Freddie on her lap and her favourite music playing softly.
We were all able to visit before the end came and I cannot speak highly enough of the carers who made sure mum felt safe and comfortable and allowed us to spend such precious time together.
Talk to us about your home care needs
Our friendly and experienced team is here to help you and your family make sense of the options available to you. Call us today – we will help you every step of the way.