Where Do I Want to be at the End of my Life?

Planning for the end of your life is important to make sure that medical professionals, family and friends can do their best to ensure that you are where you want to be and as comfortable as possible.

When thinking about where you want to end your life its important to consider who will be there and the kind of treatment you can have. This section explains the options and type of care available to you in each setting.

Planning for the end of your life is important to make sure that medical professionals, family and friends can do their best to ensure that you are where you want to be and as comfortable as possible. 

When thinking about where you want to end your life its important to consider who will be there and the kind of treatment you can have. This section explains the options and type of care available to you in each setting. 

At Home 

Most people say that they want to die at home where they feel the most comfortable. Dying at home can be peaceful and allow you to be surrounded by friends and family members, however, it can be difficult as you become more unwell. 

Help with tasks of daily living (washing, dressing), managing symptoms (pain, sickness) and providing equipment (hospital bed, toileting aids) is available. There are many organisations who can assist with this. Social services can aid with assessing the financial burden of caring and can provide care packages to assist throughout the day. 

District nurses and hospice at home can assist with giving pain relief and controlling symptoms. Palliative or hospice care teams include physio and occupational therapists who can assist with equipment needs as well as specialists in palliative care to answer your questions. 

At a Hospice 

Hospice care can be accessed from the moment you are given an advanced cancer diagnosis and is not just for people at the very end of their lives. 

Hospice care is not just the building itself and can be provided in your own home, in a care home, as a day or short-term hospice patient or in hospitals. Hospice teams can help provide much of the care that you and your loved ones need. They can help with emotional wellbeing throughout your illness and their bereavement. 

Hospice care is free, they offer short term breaks called respite care as well as longer stays. Some people have several hospice visits depending on their symptoms and how they want to manage their care. 

Entering a hospice does not always mean that you are entering the last days of life. Many hospices will show you around and answer any questions you have. 

Care home 

If you live in a residential or care home, then the staff working there will be working alongside palliative care teams in managing your end-of-life care with you. 

You can create care plans together to make sure that your priorities are met. In a residential or care home you can receive care from staff twenty-four hours a day and have support with washing, dressing, toileting, and meals. 

Your friends and family can still support you with these tasks if that is what you both want. It is important to communicate with staff so that you, your loved ones, and staff all know what is important to you as you move towards the end of your life. 

Hospital 

Patients will die in hospital either because that is what they planned for or because it is the best thing for them, as advised by healthcare professionals. 

Patients may prefer to die in hospital if they have concerns around how they will be cared for at home.  They will have access to nurses and doctors’ day and night to ensure that you are comfortable and pain-free. Chaplain services are also available for spiritual guidance.  

The idea of dying in hospital may be distressing, and it can be difficult to have the same level of privacy as in other settings. Patients and their loved ones can communicate with ward staff about visiting and bringing in comforts from home. Staff will want to make them as comfortable as possible, and the knowledge that they are there can be reassuring.