Marie Curie responds to a report from the University of Cambridge about family caregivers needing support to administer end of life medications. Julie Pearce, Chief Nurse and Executive Director of Quality and Caring Services said:
“Caring for people in the last stages of their lives is rewarding, but not easy. It is emotionally and physically demanding. Many families already support their dying loved ones at home but do so in the comfort that they can turn to the experts, in their hour of need.
“In these extraordinary times, patients and family members may be encouraged or need to give medication for pain relief and other distressing symptoms to their dying loved ones. However, each patient and family member must be individually assessed before doing so, and given appropriate training and support to allow this to happen safely. But it must be their choice and should not be imposed on them. They should also get the support they need to plan ahead, have ongoing support and monitoring from a healthcare professional, and crucially know who to contact for help.
“There is no substitute for expert hands on care, even in these daunting times. We know that families who feel unsupported can be burdened with a lasting legacy of grief.
“We have nurses on our Information and Support Line to support carers with assistance and a listening ear.”