Via the National End of Life Care programme

This 3 year project based in a 120-bedded Jewish Care nursing home offered extra training and support for care home staff looking after residents with advanced dementia.

Dementia is associated with a variable, shortened life expectancy. Many people with dementia and their relatives would prefer them to die at home rather than in hospital. However, many with advanced dementia die without these wishes being made explicit. The project aimed to increase the number of residents with dementia receiving their end of life care in the home and to improve their quality of life.

The intervention itself involved all staff receiving 10 interactive and supportive training sessions from a consultant physician, other senior staff and the home manager. The sessions were designed to complement the Gold Standard Framework sessions given to all the home’s managers.

Following the intervention more residents died in the home than previously and their quality of life was higher. More people also had advance wishes in place. Staff said they felt more confident about providing end of life care and better able to identify and treat distress.

Find out more about the project on the National End of Life Care programme website