Palliative Care Resources
Knowing what to expect in the last days and hours of life can help you be better prepared.
We developed a guide to help caregivers care for both themselves and their loved one during their last days and hours together at home.
This guide:
- Explains the physical changes your loved one may experience in their last days and hours of life
- Provides practical tips on how to make your loved one more comfortable
- Suggests ways you can look after yourself during this challenging time
- Outlines what to do when your loved one dies
We have created two versions.
The first is written for when someone is dying at home. This is available in a number of different languages.
The second version is written for caregivers looking after individuals in the final stages of a terminal illness within a hospital. This is currently available in English only.
Guide for Caregivers: Hospital (PDF)
Canadian Virtual Hospice
The Canadian Virtual Hospice provides support and personalized information about palliative and end-of-life care to patients, caregivers, health-care providers, researchers and educators.
Through this comprehensive online resource, you can access information on a range of topics, including:
- Emotional and spiritual health
- Identifying and managing symptoms
- Assistance with providing care to your loved one
- Tips for visiting
- Practical advice on how to make difficult decisions
- Suggestions on how to get financial assistance, if needed
The support section of the website provides you with the opportunity to:
- Ask a health-care provider any questions you may have
- Review the questions that people have asked before, along with the answers
- Chat with other people who are in a similar situation through discussion boards
- Read the stories of others who have experienced the death of someone they cared for
- Watch videos and listen to podcasts about palliative care and the experiences of others
You may also want to refer the members of your health-care team to the section of the website set up for professionals.
Caregiver support education
From Hospice Palliative Care Ontario, a series of self-learning modules covering 20 caregiving topics.