CPD – Palliative Care at Home, What to Expect

We all want to be unsung heroes in someone's final days, without needing superpowers or capes. In end-of-life care, you can make a difference without flying or fighting. People nowadays want to spend their final days at home rather than in the hospital wards. This has increased the demand for experienced carers who can provide high-quality palliative care more than ever. Surveys have shown that more than 80% of patients want to spend their final days with their loved ones rather than alone in a hospital room. Due to this, the demand for these care services has increased by around 20% in the past 4 years.

Looking at these numbers, it is now more important than ever for care workers to understand the significance of high-quality end-of-life care. If you want to start a career in this field, this CPD can be the first step you take. You'll learn essential skills for providing high-quality this type of care, managing pain and symptoms, and supporting family members during vulnerable times. You will also be ready and confident to tackle any challenges that come up during a home-based care setting. It will eventually help you comfort the patient and their loved ones, to make a real difference in the lives of those who need it the most.

What is Palliative Care?

It is a type of medical care given to people who are suffering from life-threatening illnesses to improve their quality of life. In simple words, it is a VIP treatment given to those who have serious illnesses. The goal of this type of care is to provide dignity, comfort, and peace during a patient's final stages. It can be given at any point in treatment to help the patient navigate challenges with confidence and comfort.

Apart from relieving the pain and symptoms, palliative care also focuses on addressing the emotional difficulties or trauma that is within the patient. This is to make them feel content and at peace no matter what happened in the past. Careers in this form of care also try to support the loved ones by giving them emotional support and discussing the patient’s care plan. It is done with the goal to mainly focus on the patient’s needs and requirements. This form of care also allows the patient and their loved ones to spend quality time together, cherish final moments, and experience peace and comfort in the last days.

Symptoms managed in palliative care

When a patient suffers from a life-threatening illness, taking care of the symptoms is very important to make sure that they are at ease throughout. However, some of the symptoms are common in patients who are on the death bed. This care method specifically focuses on reducing the effects of these symptoms rather than curing them fully. Let us look at some of the common symptoms:

1. Severe Pain – This is the most common and visible symptom during end-of-life care. It can either happen from the disease itself or be a side effect of the treatment. To ease the patient's pain you can use medications, therapy, massage and give them emotional support to divert their minds.
2. Tiredness and Weakness – Patients sometimes experience extreme tiredness and weakness, which makes it difficult for them to perform day-to-day activities. To cope with this, they should often take breaks from their activities, stay hydrated, and perform light exercise.
3. Dizziness and Vomiting – During palliative care, it can be one of the side effects of the illness's treatment. To overcome these, patients should eat fewer portions or perform aromatherapy for relaxation.
4. Shortness of Breath – This mainly occurs in severe diseases such as cancer, lung disease, or heart attacks. You should encourage patients to frequently perform oxygen therapy and breathing techniques or make adjustments in the environment.
5. Less Appetite and Weight Loss – Sometimes patients struggle to eat a proper portion of meals due to their disease or the side effects of the treatment. To overcome this, you should give them food with rich nutrients to make the portions heavy and healthy or make mealtimes comforting and social to encourage eating.

Programme Overview

This course is designed for everyone passionate about supporting those who are in their final moments. It is an inclusive programme for freshers and professionals to upscale themselves in this industry. Whether you are a caregiver, healthcare professional, or supporting a patient in their final stages, this course is your roadmap to success. As palliative care at home increases, you will learn to manage challenges while supporting both patients and their families.

The programme covers the key principles of this comfort care method which primarily focuses on symptom management, pain relief, and providing emotional support to the patient and their family. Apart from this, the students will also learn about creating person-centred care plans, how to support the family during bereavement, and make sure that the patients live with dignity and peace during their final days. Upon course completion, you'll have an all-round understanding of this type of care at home. You will be prepared to provide high-quality care with empathy and a better understanding of sensitive situations. The key modules of this course offer a well-rounded understanding, helping you make an impact and support those in need.

Course Plan

The syllabus of this course is made to give you a progressive learning experience about palliative care. This course covers key concepts about end-of-life care, from giving the authority to the patient in making decisions to the legal and ethical responsibilities of healthcare staff. Its modules focus on practical learning, helping you gain confidence in handling challenges while supporting terminally ill patients. Below is the list of the key modules that you will be learning throughout the course.

• An overview of palliative care at home
• Managing different symptoms and providing high-quality, comfortable care
• Improving your communication and support skills while consoling the family members
• Knowing the legal and ethical responsibilities of healthcare staff during the care process
• Learn how to create a person-centred care plan, keeping the patient's needs and requirements as the top priority

Entry requirements

The course is open to health and social care workers, students pursuing a healthcare career, and anyone wanting to support others during difficult times. No specific qualifications are required, just a compassionate attitude and a willingness to learn. We encourage students to join live lectures and group activities for the best learning experience.

Improving your palliative care skills with the CCM

Palliative care goes beyond medical support. It focuses more towards giving comfort, dignity, and respect to the patients who are in their final days. The demand for home care has also increased the need for skilled and compassionate care workers more than ever. This CPD course will help you get the important knowledge and skills to help you support vulnerable patients when they need it the most.

The College of Contract Management aims to make a difference by offering quality courses for career growth. This course provides a comprehensive understanding of this comfort care method. It highlights major aspects such as symptom management, pain relief, and emotional support. It serves as a guide to delivering compassionate care. With the growing demand for home care, now is the perfect time to build a strong foundation in this field. Sign up for the course today to improve your skills and enhance your professional development.

The course schedule for this CPD – Palliative Care at Home, What to Expect will be with you very shortly once we confirm the timings with the professors. While we understand there might be last-minute changes, we will try to keep you informed about any upcoming changes during the course. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please feel free to send them in via email or our live chat services. Our support staff will try and get back to you at the earliest possible.