Palliative Care

An at-times tremendously upsetting and difficult experience for all families and loved ones, end-of-life or palliative care is a vocation for every one of us at Loveday. Following as we do the accredited Gold Standards framework, it is a service we are all truly proud to offer, not only in our residences but also as part of our Loveday at Home care service.

We provide palliative care to those with and without dementia, including those living with cancer and other conditions which require the unique level of care that Loveday is proud to offer. 

Get in touch

Loveday work across the medical and surgical specialities in both in-patient and out-patient settings and provide a comprehensive level of support alongside the primary treating teams. Our team is led by specialists nurses who, due to our nursing care registration, can provide comprehensive palliative care and pain relief. The Loveday team works closely with the Member's own trusted providers, or can liaise with our own team of doctors, therapists, counsellors and religious consultants.

Loveday also offers advance care planning, with the aim of co-designing care plans which reflect individual preferences and the priorities of both the Member and their family.

Loveday’s specialist team provides advice and support to Members living with illnesses which may not be curable, and those who are important to them. We aim to treat everyone with respect, compassion and dignity and to focus on what matters most to our Members. Our service aims to support quality of life and living well, and to lessen suffering by supporting the emotional, physical, spiritual and social needs of our Members, their family, friends and carers.

What is Palliative Care?

Palliative Care is the term used to describe the care needed when a loved one has an illness that cannot be cured. Its purpose is two-fold, providing comfort, pain management and medication, alongside emotional and spiritual support – for both Members and their families. 

This type of care can be delivered in several ways:

  • Residential care – This option enables you and your loved one to access the full suite of facilities available, with round-the-clock professional support.
  • At home – If appropriate for the Member, at-home care can provide the additional benefit of familiar surroundings.

We strive to co-design care plans with our Members and their families for such a time; however, this is not always possible. In these circumstances, our experienced team will work with you to develop an appropriate care plan in earnest.

Get in touch

Each gorgeously elegant Loveday residence guarantees an inimitable blend of the highest levels of comfort combined

When is Palliative Care Appropriate?

Palliative care covers a spectrum which is broader than end-of-life care. An incurable illness may require palliative care for several years, enabling the Member to live well for as long as possible. How soon this kind of care may be needed wholly depends on the Member, their illness, their family situation and, of course, their own personal preferences.

Palliative care can take the form of residential care, home visits or Loveday Day Club membership and may be frequent or infrequent, depending on the needs of the Member and their family or support network.

Developing a care plan early on can help to reduce the stress of dealing with an incurable illness. It can also ensure a care team is on hand, which has experience of the Member and their health and family circumstances.

End-of-life care falls within the palliative spectrum and is usually planned with Members and families along their care journey with Loveday. Sometimes advance planning is not possible, at which point our specialist team is on hand to support in earnest.

How to choose the right Palliative Care option for you?

Palliative care can be part of a short-, medium- or long-term care plan, depending on the Member’s needs. Typical factors to be considered include:

  • Family situation: the support network around the Member, their availability, work situation and own health should all be considered.
  • Member wishes: Members may want to improve their social setting, and they may be keen to get outdoors more or try new experiences. These personal preferences can all be taken into account when designing their care plan.
  • Medical needs: there are often medical parameters which need to be accounted for, whether this relates to medication to be administered within a certain schedule or particular equipment which is required for medical support.

End-of-life care planning could be considered to be similar; however, of course, this is the end of our Member’s care journey, so family and Members should consider where their loved one wants to be. This is often either within the residence where they’ve lived well and established friendships over a given period or at home with their memories and extended family. Our team works closely with families to establish the right care plan, to be delivered at the right time for our Members.  

Our beautiful residences

Frequently Asked Questions

Essentially, a person receives palliative care to help them live well with a condition or illness that cannot be cured.

You can receive palliative care at any stage during your illness and for any length of time during that stage. Palliative care is designed to help your loved one live as well as possible, and so the approach to care is designed around those needs.

End-of-life care is a form of palliative care, which helps maintain well-being, reduce pain and provide compassion, comfort and dignity to individuals and loved ones at this highly upsetting time. End-of-life care is typically described in the context of the last few weeks of life.

Palliative care is provided to patients with an incurable illness to help them live well for longer. It does not mean that the individual’s life is near the end. End-of-life care is part of this process, typically during the final weeks and days.