#72 Dying at home, what you need to know and how to be prepared - What changes are there as someone approaches the end of life?

This is the fifth in a series of seven podcasts about End of Life Care, specifically towards the last days of life and when someone wishes to die at home. Rachel kindly agreed to make these with me and recreate some of the conversations I have had over so many years about dying at home, what you need to know and how to be prepared.

In this episode we talk about what changes there are as a person approaches the last days of life. 

Dying at home, what you need to know and how to be prepared

1.Recognising when someone might be approaching the last stages of life and why this matter

2. What support is available to help look after a person who is dying at home

3. What equipment might be needed to help look after a person who is dying at home

4. Symptom control and medication as someone approaches the end of life at home

5. What changes are there as someone approaches the end of life?

6. What we need to do after a person has died at home

7. Changing plans, anticipatory grief and being prepared

Key messages from guest

• This episode focuses specifically on people approaching the very last days of life

• Ordinary Dying is rarely represented in films or television

• Someone will sleep more as they approach the end of life

• A person will eat less towards the end of life because they are dying - they are not dying because they are not eating and drinking

• The breathing pattern of a dying person can become faster, slower or irregular

• Even towards the end of life, much of the care will be provided by family members - there is no standard across the country

• The Dr Kathryn Mannix 4 minute video explains Ordinary Dying raises awareness and opens conversations about Ordinary Dying

Episode takeaways

• Watch the Dr Kathrym Mannix video

• Dying is never portrayed realistically in films

• The Priorities for Care of the Dying Person is a framework of care for people who are dying

• Make sure plans, including medications are in place

• Make sure plans are in place to know what to do and who to call when someone dies

Resource

• Find out more about the framework for dying people at Priorities for care part of new approach to care for dying people 

• Listen to the podcast with Clare and  Dr Kathryn Mannix: Using tender conversations in Advance Care Planning with Dr Kathryn Mannix 

• Watch the Dr Kathryn Mannix video explaining dying at: "Dying is not as bad as you think"

• Listen to the podcast with Rachel; and Dr Kathryn Mannix at: Episode 108: Finding words for tender conversations with Dr Kathryn Mannix  

• Access Priorities for care if the Dying Person One chance to get it right  

• Listen to a great discussion about the difference conversations can make with the podcast: Why we need to talk more about Ordinary Dying with Lizzi Collinge

Access Rachel’s work

Website: The Magnificent Midlife 

Podcast: The Magnificent Midlife Podcast

Book:  The Magnificent Midlife book

Bio:

Rachel Lankester, founder of Magnificent Midlife

Rachel Lankester is the founder of Magnificent Midlife, an online hub celebrating and empowering women 40+. She's the author of Magnificent Midlife: Transform Your Middle Years, Menopause and Beyond and host of the Magnificent Midlife podcast. After a shocking early menopause diagnosis at 41, she scratched her own itch and created what she wasn't able to find to help herself. This includes 1-1 and group mentoring, courses and educational resources to help women vibrantly transition through the sometimes messy middle of life. She's also the founder of MenoClarity, an online information hub about menopause.

Clare Fuller, Advance Care Planning Advocate, Educator & Coach

Clare is a Registered Nurse with 30 years’ experience in End-of-Life Care (EoLC). Clare is an advocate for Advance Care Planning and founded www.speakforme.co.uk to help organisations to improve EoLC, provide professional education and raise public awareness about Advance Care Planning. Clare campaigns for proactive Advance Care Planning, hosts the podcast Conversations about Advance Care Planning  and is a Lasting Power of Attorney Consultant.