Dying Well At Home

We extend our gratitude to everyone who contributed to developing this programme, including the External Reference Group, which comprises members with personal or professional caregiving experience in public health, palliative care, and family support.

This eLearning programme is designed to support individuals who are:

• Considering providing care for someone at home with a life-limiting illness
• Already caring for someone nearing the end of life at home
• Seeking to better understand the experience of providing end-of-life care at home

The six modules provide valuable information, examples, and practical tips to help you support the person you are caring for at home. Content for this eLearning programme has been drawn from Irish Hospice Foundation resources and other national organisations. Upon completion of this course, you will be awarded two CPD hours. This will be reflected on your certificate when you download it at the end of the programme.

When you are caring for a person at home you will meet many healthcare professionals who will be able support you. These may be Doctors, Nurses, Social Workers, Carers, Pharmacists, Speech and Language Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Counsellors and other healthcare professionals, who are members of Hospital, Primary or Community Care Teams. It will be important to note, that while we talk about healthcare professionals and how they can help to support you, that healthcare provision, access to services and resources may vary across counties in Ireland.

Your medical and palliative care teams will do their best to help you care for the person for as long as possible in their home. However, you should also prepare for a situation where the person might need to be transferred to a hospital, a hospice or a nursing home. If this happens, you might find this upsetting, but it could also be the right thing for everyone.

All clinical and medical care should be planned with healthcare teams responsible for the person’s treatment. It is crucial to discuss all aspects of personal care with the individual and their Primary Care Team (with their consent) to ensure comfort and clarity. The examples and stories shared in this eLearning programme are not representative of all end-of-life care experiences.

The Resources Section, accessible here and at the end of each module, provides additional information, about healthcare professionals and organisations who can support you and the person you care for.

An Evaluation Form is available at the end of the programme, and your feedback is valued to help continue to improve the Dying Well at Home Programme. Caring for a friend or family member with a life-limiting illness can be both a challenging and uncertain time for anyone.

Irish Hospice Foundation have an Information and Support Line (1800 60 70 66). If you have any queries about end of life care you can call them between 9am-1pm Monday to Friday. It is a confidential line that provides signposting, practical supports and resources about end-of-life care. It is not a medical, emergency or crisis service.

There are 7 lessons over 6 modules. Each module takes about 20 minutes to complete, allowing you to work at your own pace. While completing them in sequence is recommended, you can revisit any module as needed.