Is Palliative Care the Same as End of Life Care?
Palliative Care and End-Of-Life Care are terms that are often used interchangeably, however they are not exactly the same. Both offer an additional level of support on top of regular nursing and residential care to support people’s physical and psychological wellbeing and ensure the highest quality of life possible. In this blog, we’ll be looking into the definition of palliative care, how end-of-life care is different and what’s included in both.
What is Palliative Care?
Palliative Care is specialised holistic care designed for those with life-limiting or incurable conditions. Rather than solely curative treatments, palliative care focuses on symptom and pain management, offering emotional and psychological support for the individual and their family, and ensuring the highest quality of life possible. Practical support can also be included in palliative care, such as creating a Will and managing finances. This type of care takes a holistic approach, nurturing every aspect of a person’s life and health to create a supportive and comfortable environment.
Who is Palliative Care For?
Palliative care is designed for individuals who have been diagnosed with an illness that cannot be cured. This can include: being in the advanced stages of a condition such as cancer or dementia; having experienced a stroke or accident they cannot fully recover from; a pre-existing condition where sudden decline is likely; or are elderly and have multiple health conditions that considerably shorten life span.
The Difference Between Palliative and End of Life Care
End of Life care, as the name suggests, is specifically for people who are nearing their life, usually in the last twelve months or shorter although this can be difficult to predict. It is a crucial part of palliative care and follows many of the same principals, such as maximising dignity with a holistic care plan and a supportive environment, but prioritises keeping the individual as comfortable as possible in the time they have left.
Everyone should have the power to decide where they want to receive end of life care, where they would like to pass away and what the last days of their life look like. These wishes are documented in a personalised care plan that is kept up to date with changes of symptoms, preferences and needs. Person-centred care is an essential part of all types of care and every high-quality care home should work with the individual and their families to ensure that wishes are met. Open communication between all parties, including care home nurses, doctors, GPs and medical specialists is essential to ensure stress-free, seamless medical care.
Palliative care can begin the moment a person is diagnosed with a life-limiting or terminal illness or condition and can take place alongside treatments intended to control the condition. Therefore, there is no set amount of time that palliative care will last for, and people can receive it for several years, whereas end-of-life care is only delivered in final months, weeks or days of a person’s life. Going into palliative care does not necessarily mean that someone will pass away soon, and a person can begin receiving palliative care from whenever they feel they would benefit from the additional level of support. Both types of care can be delivered in care homes, hospices, hospitals or even at a person’s home.
Although there is a lot of overlap, the distinction between the two types of care is important to help families plan for the future and process their emotions at this difficult time.
What To Expect from Palliative Care in a Care Home
Round the Clock Nursing Care
One of the main benefits of palliative care is round the clock nursing care, focusing on comfort, dignity, and compassionate support for both the resident and their loved ones. Nurses carefully manage pain and other symptoms, using advanced clinical skills to adjust medications, monitor changes, and respond quickly to individual needs.
Palliative care nurses also help coordinate care between doctors, specialists and other providers, explain options to the resident in clear and caring ways and advocate for their wishes, ensuring that each person feels respected, supported, and never alone throughout their care journey.
Emotional support for individual and family
Beyond physical care, palliative care offers empathetic emotional reassurance, where nurses listen deeply to concerns and provide gentle guidance during difficult moments. Residents are supported in expressing feelings such as fear, sadness, anger, or uncertainty in a safe and understanding environment, where they are listened to without judgment. Skilled professionals offer reassurance, coping strategies, and gentle counselling to reduce anxiety and distress, while also supporting loved ones as they navigate anticipatory grief and emotional strain. This holistic approach helps promote emotional comfort, resilience, and a sense of peace during an incredibly vulnerable time.
Socialisation and peer support
Care home create a supportive, welcoming and friendly environment to enhance emotional wellbeing and reducing feelings of isolation. Residents are given opportunities to connect with others who may share similar experiences, fostering a sense of understanding, companionship, and mutual support. Through shared activities, conversations or simply spending time together in communal spaces, individuals can build meaningful connections at their own pace if they would like. This supportive social environment helps maintain a sense of normality, belonging, and dignity, while allowing residents to feel seen, valued, and emotionally supported by both peers and staff.
Person-centred care plan
As with all types of care, a personalised care plan is essential to optimise the quality of life for every resident. Person-centred care is especially important in palliative care to ensure all wishes are met, enabling residents to lay out exactly how they want their life to end. As people’s symptoms, mindset and preferences can change dramatically in the advanced stages of a condition, it is important that nurses continue to listen to the individual and update their care plan regularly. Residents are empowered to make decisions about the broader care they receive, as well as smaller every day decisions such as hobbies they can continue, what they eat and where to spend their time.
In a luxury care home, residents will also benefits from cosy bedrooms with profiling beds and other adaptive equipment, tailored and nutritious home-cooked meals and access to activities and outdoors spaces for wellbeing.
Palliative Care in Lennoxtown
Here at Springvale Care Home in East Dunbartonshire, our empathetic and compassionate team provide holistic palliative care to our residents with serious health conditions, maintaining their dignity and fulfilling their wishes. Our cosy and welcoming home provides a comfortable and supportive place where people can truly rest and feel at peace. We work closely with residents and their families to ensure the highest possible quality of life and emotional wellbeing, putting residents at the heart of their care. If you’d like to learn more about the types of support we offer at our care home near Glasgow, please get in touch with our friendly team to arrange a home tour.
