End of life: advice for families

Planning for the end of life: palliative care in a care home, advance care plans, hospice support, and what families can expect.

3 articles on end of life

How to recognise the last days of life: signs to expect
The physical changes that often show someone is in their last days of life, what they mean, how care staff respond and what families can do. Last reviewed 20 September 2026.
End-of-life care in a care home: what families should know
How palliative and end-of-life care works in UK care homes: advance care plans, DNACPR, the NHS fast track, special-rules benefits and what to ask the home. Last reviewed 18 September 2026.
End-of-life care in the UK: options and who pays
Where end-of-life care can be given, who provides it, how fast-track NHS funding and Special Rules benefits work, and how to plan ahead with your relative. Last reviewed 18 September 2026.

Every article is checked against official sources before it is published and re-checked at least every six months. Our editorial policy.