Palliative care and dementia

This information is sourced from Dr Ros Taylor 

There are 3 key touch points between palliative care services and dementia care

  1. Advance care planning in the early stages when people still have capacity.  Many hospices do offer support for these essential conversations about future wishes and preferences for care.

  2. During the last days when palliative care teams can support difficult ethical decisions and symptom management. These are often related to feeding and agitation. Some hospices also offer respite admission to support carers and families.

  3. Throughout the illness, hospices and palliative care teams can signpost to services to support family carers with co-ordination of care, practical and emotional support.

Where else to get support and advice

On our Caring at home - practical tips page we have compiled a list of highly recommended resources on how to manage every day tasks (such as helping someone to wash) through to how to approach difficult practical issues in the last days (such as eating and drinking).

Marie Curie have a one page summary for clinicians on key issues when caring for patients with dementia towards the end of life - such as pain and nutrition.

Some hospices in North West London offer advance care planning groups or respite admission to support carers and families.  Please see the service directory.

Dementia UK. Admiral Nurses can provide information, advice and support with any aspect of dementia.

The Alzheimer's Society offer practical help and emotional support to people living with dementia and their carers.

Recommended Resources

Marie Curie - Caring for someone with dementia who is near the end of life

Published 4th October 2023

Share

Related Services

Palliative care teams

Adult Carer Core Support
Close

Adult Carer Core Support

T. 0300 303 1555

W. https://www.carersfirst.org.uk/

This free service has been commissioned to support adult carers. 

The offer includes:

  • One to one information and support to carers 
  • Support via phone, text, email or face to face visits including home visits
  • Groups and activities for carers
  • Help to get Carers Trust grants
  • Referrals to carefree breaks
  • Free SIM cards

The offer in Southend includes funding for breaks for carers, support to help carers to access their own appointments and one-off respite break funding.

Related Articles

21st November 2024

An approach to organising your future care, health and wishes

27th February 2023

Caring at home - practical tips

Feedback