The process of affirming the importance of quality of life and identifying lifestyle choices and goals as well as Advance Care Planning (ACP) for the future care for our residents and their families.
Balancing begins at a time where the resident’s condition is no longer responding to current treatments and their life-limiting illness has progressed. A resident’s needs are reviewed by engaging all the stakeholders in a palliative care conference to ensure everyone is on the same page and supports ongoing optimal and appropriate care.
In the final days and weeks of a resident's life, providing comfort care and support is the priority. The comfort stage enables a person centred approach to care focused on the resident and their family’s choices, religious and cultural beliefs and their right to die with dignity. Clinical staff and family focus on emotional and physical symptom management in the setting of their choice. At this time, the End of Life Care Pathway is reviewed daily. It is used to direct care and achieve a natural death. Care after death and bereavement support for family and employees is provided in this stage.
