Palliative and end of life care
If the person you care for has an illness that can’t be cured, palliative care will make them as comfortable as possible, by managing pain and other distressing symptoms.
Palliative care isn’t just for the end of life. The person you care for could receive palliative care earlier in their illness while receiving other therapies to treat their condition.
Palliative care can be provided in a range of settings; at home, in hospital or community hospital, in a care home or a hospice. It is important to know the wishes of the person you care for so, where possible, they get the care they want.
SOLLA: Society Of Later Life Advisers – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Support for carers
Bereavement Support:
- Bereavement Support Payment: How it works – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
- Get help with grief after bereavement or loss – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
- Bereavement – Reading Directory
End of life care
End of life care should help the person you care for live as well as possible until the last years / months of their life, and to die with dignity.
The people providing care should ask them about their wishes and preferences, and take these into account when they work with you to plan their care.
The person you care for has the right to express their wishes about where they want to receive care and where they want to die. End of life care could be provided at home or in a hospice or hospital.
Anyone approaching the end of their life is entitled to high quality care, wherever they’re being cared for.
Local palliative care services
In Reading palliative care services are provided by the NHS and charities. Click here for the palliative care and support services listed on the Reading Services Guide.
Other services:
Dying Matters
The Dying Matters website provides advice and guidance to help you and the person talk about their wishes for their end of life care.
Planning ahead also makes the legal and practical consequences of illness and death much easier for everyone to deal with.
SOLLA: Overview – Society Of Later Life Advisers – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Parent Carers Needs Assessment & Support
Bereavement Support
Bereavement affects everyone in different ways, listed below are just some of the organisations that can offer information and support through this difficult period of your life.
- Much Loved - online memorials and tributes for loved ones who have died.
- Cruse - a national charity, which helps people cope after someone close to them has died, exists to promote the well-being of bereaved people and to enable anyone bereaved by death to understand their grief and cope with their loss. Services are free. The charity provides support and offers information, advice, education and training services.
- Samaritans Reading - The Samaritans of Reading, 59A Cholmeley Road, Reading, Berkshire, RG1 3NB. Facilities for visitors with disabilities, phone for details. Usual hours open to receive callers at the door: 09:00 – 22:00 seven days a week (not open for visitors during covid-19 lockdown). A 24 hour national help line service is available 365 days a year Tel: 116 123 (free from any phone), 0330 0945717 (charged as local call) .
- Dying Matters is a coalition of 30,000 members across England and Wales which aims to help people talk more openly about dying, death and bereavement, and to make plans for the end of life.
Bereavement Support Payment: How it works – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Get help with grief after bereavement or loss – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Last updated on 19/02/2025
Palliative and end of life care