New “end of life” good practice guide launched

17/06/2008

National charity Counsel and Care has launched a new good practice guide on end of life care in care homes for older people.
 
“Ascertaining Wishes: A Good Practice Guide: advance care planning for care homes for older people”  follows a research project undertaken by Lancaster University with Counsel and Care, funded by the Nuffield Foundation and care home provider Friends of the Elderly. The project aimed to describe current advance care planning practice in care homes for older people; to what extent this is currently undertaken, and to highlight good practice already in use, in order to develop the guide.
 
Cathy Butterworth, independent nurse consultant and lead author of the good practice guide, said: “None of us know what the future holds for us. This is as true for older people who live in care homes as it is for all of us. And yet when we need care and support, we want it to be according to our express wishes.
 
“This guide, underpinned by unique and rigorous research, will encourage and enable staff in care homes to give residents the opportunity to think about, discuss and then record their wishes for their care. Residents and their relatives can then be confident that staff know what they want, should there ever be a time when they cannot express their views.
 
“Care homes offering advance care planning for their residents will be at the forefront of acknowledged good practice in care for their residents throughout their stay in the home, including at the end of their lives.”  
 
Stephen Burke, chief executive of Counsel and Care, said: “This good practice guide is a contribution to the ‘personalisation’ agenda, which must include older people who live in care homes, and ensure that they fulfil their right to exercise choice and control over the care they receive.   
 
“Each and every older person must be able to obtain the right care and the right deal, wherever they live.”