We understand how distressing it can be to see a terminal illness affect a loved one. Here we can help; Providing specialist palliative care support so your family can make the most of your time together.
Home palliative care allows you to stay where you feel most comfortable, surrounded by memories and the people you love. With the personal support from a compassionate caregiver, you can have specialist support and relief from symptoms of a serious illness whenever it is needed.
Whether you are looking for a full-time caregiver or occasional visits from a local care team, we offer a full range of services for those with conditions such as cancer or nausea and vomiting. Our hospice and palliative care specialists follow national hospice guidelines. Our palliative care specialists cover all aspects of care including personal care, pain management for neurological and physical symptoms, medication administration, meal preparation and companion care.
With local offices and trained carers, rapid palliative care can be provided at any time. We frequently work with a range of organizations including hospices, support groups, NHS care teams and district nurses. This allows us to offer patients and loved ones the right level of home care along with other elements of your care plan.
To find out more about our palliative care service or how we can support you, please contact a member of our team of care specialists. We are available to discuss your options and can schedule a meeting with a local care manager when you are ready to begin your medical and social care.
Palliative, or end of life care, is specialised medical care for people with serious or terminal illnesses such as a type of dementia or advanced cancer. The support focuses on providing relief from the symptoms, pain and stress of a serious illness – keeping you as comfortable as possible. The ultimate goal is to improve the quality of life for both the patient and their families and friends whilst reducing the emotional effects of illnesses.
Benefits of our homecare services include:
There are many options for home palliative care. Here at Smile Health Care, our full range of home care services are regulated by the Care Quality Commission.
Unlike other agencies that provide palliative care, a local care manager is available to you if your symptoms change or you need a response from your medical team. This fully managed service gives you the added peace of mind that as your care needs change, we can easily adapt support to meet your needs.
The options include:
Live-in care, also known as 24 hour care, places a specially trained live-in carer to provide support each day according to your requirements. Carefully chosen based on your personality and care needs, this carer will live with you at home supporting you with your day-to-day needs. Your carer will likely become a great friend or companion, helping to promote your independence and help you to get the most out of life with palliative care.
If you’d prefer support visits at specific times of the day – or overnight – your local "Smile health care" branch will provide the right level of care for you. Our support service ranges from a half-an-hour visit each week all the way through to several visits a day or nightly support. One of our expertly trained carers can support you to stay independent at home, so that you and your loved ones have complete reassurance that you’re being supported with care that’s adapted to you.
If your usual caregiver needs to take a break, we offer respite live-in care from as little as three days. We can step in quickly to support you with emergency care – whether you’ve been let down by your usual carer or they are taken ill – we’re here to help.
One of the main benefits of receiving palliative care at home is that it allows somebody to spend their last months, weeks, and days in the place where they feel most at ease and safe: their home. This places them in the company of someone they know and trust whilst receiving palliative care. As well as being reassuring for the person receiving care, knowing this can give peace of mind to families and close friends too. Because of this, palliative care and hospice care are often synonymous with each other.
Having care at home instead of a hospital or hospice means less disruption for everybody. Round-the-clock care means that any changes in condition will be noticed and responded to quickly.
You can also be reassured that the person providing care is assessed to high standards and given specific palliative care training, enabling them to provide practical and emotional support to you all.
With long-term illnesses, symptoms can change very quickly. The need to arrange palliative care can be very urgent, especially if someone’s in pain or distress.
We offer emergency home care and in many cases, we can begin arranging care within 24 hours of you getting in touch with us. This is especially useful if your situation doesn’t allow you to plan ahead. If you are currently in hospital or a residential setting, your local dedicated care manager can arrange support that will aid your move back home.
Please call us if you’d like to discuss the options. Our team is available seven days a week. In many instances, we can arrange for support to start within as little as 24 hours.
Our carers are expertly trained to have an understanding and working knowledge of palliative care.
We also place some of our carers under a training programme specially built around administering palliative and end-of-life practices. The carers that are put through this additional programme have had previous experience in working to deliver high-quality palliative care.
This additional training enhances their previous knowledge and experiences of palliative care, to put you at peace of mind that you are receiving a quality and reliable person-centred practice in line with current NHS, NICE and CQC guidelines.
Call our team of experts on 01206266815 to talk through your options and any questions you may have regarding your care
Your local Smile health care manager will visit you to discuss your requirements and learn about the type of carer you’re after.
We’ll help to match you with a carer that meets your preferences and has the right skills and experience for your needs.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, PLEASE CONTACT US