Month: May 2015 (Page 3)

Sometimes your illness can come on so quickly and deteriorate so rapidly that you are left with hardly any time to prepare. Sometimes you think you have lots of time to make plans and then are surprised when things suddenly deteriorate. If you’ve not had chance to make plans before, now is the time to try while you still have some energy.  Take a look at the section on ‘creating a personal portfolio’ for more information. Sadly, no matter how well you try and prepare for death, the last weeks of life can be a frightening time for you and your loved ones especially ifRead More →

As you approach the last days and hours of your life you will go through a process of withdrawing from the world. During this time a number of changes in your body and mind occur. This section of the website contains information about the dying process, what is happening to you as you withdraw from the world and how you can be cared for at the end of your life. It includes information on: Changes Medication Liverpool Care Pathway for the Dying Patient (LCP) Although this is written about you, we recognise that at this stage in your life you are likely to be tooRead More →

Bleeding at the end of life can occur.  You or your carers may notice mild bleeding from fragile skin or from your gums when you eat or clean your teeth.  There may be bleeding associated with dressing changes.   Sometimes serious bleeding can occur.  The risk of this happening depends on the condition that you are dying from.  Your specialist nurse or doctor will warn you if they think bleeding is a risk for you and give you advice on what to do. For more information on bleeding click here.Read More →

In the last hours or days of life we want to be absolutely sure that you receive the best possible care.  This care includes attending to your emotional and spiritual needs as well as managing any physical symptoms you may have.  We’ve only got this one chance to get it right for you so it’s really important that we don’t miss anything. Having a written down care pathway to follow helps to reduce the risk of missing something that’s important to you and your loved ones and to maximise the chance of you having the peaceful death you hope for.   The Liverpool Care PathwayRead More →

In the last days of life it is likely that you will no longer be able to manage oral medication. Regular medication that you may have been taking for years should have already been stopped. By now you should only be receiving medication that helps to control any symptoms you may have. Unless you are in a hospital or hospice where medication is readily available, your district nurse, specialist nurse or GP will organise a ‘just in case’ box of medication. This is to have on stand by so it is available at short notice if you need it. The medication in the box isRead More →

What is end of life care? There are a number of terms used when describing care that people may need as they approach the end of life.  There is a lot of overlap and often they are used synonymously so it can be confusing. End of life care is about the total care of a person with an advanced incurable illness and does not just equate with dying.  The end of life care phase may last for weeks, months or years. End of Life Care is defined as care that helps those with advanced, progressive, incurable illness to live as well as possible until theyRead More →

Because your gut is now not working properly, you may notice changes in your bowel habit. Constipation is a very common problem and can cause distressing symptoms like abdominal pain and bloating.  It is often aggravated by pain killing medication.  Constipation can also make you feel sick.  You may be given laxatives, suppositories or enemas to relieve constipation. If you are at home your district nurse will help with this part of your care.  If you are in a hospice, hospital or nursing home the staff will help you. You may also notice difficulty controlling your bowels.  This is because the muscles that hold everythingRead More →