When there is no cure for an illness, palliative care tries to make the end of a person’s life as comfortable as possible. This is done by attempting to relieve pain and other distressing symptoms while providing psychological, social and spiritual support. Carers and family are also offered emotional and spiritual support. This is called a 'holistic' approach to care.
Some people with conditions such as cancer can live for many years but they sometimes need treatments such as radiotherapy or chemotherapy to help keep their cancer, or other condition under control. Palliative care can be offered following such treatments or, in the earlier stages of an illness, alongside other treatments. This can be particularly important for children and young people who may live with a life-limiting condition for a long time.
The person you're looking after can receive palliative care:
Hospice care
Most palliative care is provided in a specialist residential unit called a hospice. Hospices are run by a team of doctors, nurses, social workers, counsellors and trained volunteers. They are smaller and quieter than hospitals and feel more like a home. Hospices can provide individual care more suited to the person in a gentler and calmer atmosphere.
There is no charge for hospice care, but the person you're looking after must be referred to a hospice through their GP, hospital doctor or district nurse.
At home
The person you're looking after may not need to move away from home to benefit from palliative care. Hospice staff are often on-call 24 hours a day and can visit them at home. Your GP can arrange for community palliative care nurses, such as Macmillan nurses, to provide care at home.
Palliative care nurses can offer you advice on how to manage the symptoms of the illness to help you provide better care for the patient you're looking after. They can offer practical, psychological and emotional support, and be accessed through district nurses or a person’s GP.
The social services department of your local authority may provide a range of social care services and equipment to help terminally ill people remain at home.
Care home
Palliative care is also available in residential care homes. If someone is already in a residential home, remaining there for palliative care may be their choice, and it may make them more comfortable and less distressed than having to go into hospital unless it is really necessary. You should ask if the residential home is accredited by the end of life Gold Standards framework, which means that the home has specially trained staff and good links with local GPs.
As a day patient
The person you're looking after may prefer to remain at home but visit a hospice during the day. This means they can receive the care and support they need without moving away from home.
As a day patient they will be able to access more services than could be offered if they stayed at home. These include creative and complementary therapies and rehabilitation, as well as nursing and medical care. They will also meet other patients. Hospices often provide transport to and from the hospice.
In hospital
Specialist palliative care teams are also available in hospitals. They are sometimes called the Macmillan support team or symptom control team. They can include doctors, nurses, social workers and chaplains, or the service can be provided by a single nurse.
The service provides education, training and specialist advice on pain and symptom management to hospital staff. They advise staff on the patient’s discharge plan or transfer to a hospice, community hospital or care home. They also provide emotional support directly to patients and carers.
