How Old Shenfield Place Supports Dignity And Comfort At The End Of Life

End-of-life care is perhaps the most profound responsibility we carry at Old Shenfield Place.

It’s where our carers’ professional expertise meets deep human compassion, where clinical skill supports comfort and where small acts of kindness create lasting memories for families saying goodbye to their loved one.

We ensure our residents’ final weeks, days and hours are as comfortable, dignified and peaceful as possible, surrounded by familiar faces, in a place that feels like home, with their wishes respected and their family supported.

This testimonial reflects the elements of our approach here at Oldshenfield Place, including maintaining dignity through personal care, continuing meaningful engagement and activity and supporting not just the resident but their entire family through one of life’s most difficult experiences.

In the sections that follow, we’ll explain how we deliver this standard of care for every resident approaching the end of their life.

Maintaining Dignity Through Personal Care and Daily Routines

Dignity at the end of life is about the everyday acts that honour someone’s identity and humanity, right until the end.

At Old Shenfield Place, we continue to support residents with grooming, hair care and personal presentation, even when mobility is limited and time is short.

This recognition that a person’s sense of self remains important until the very end is fundamental to our end-of-life care approach. Our trained staff take time to style residents’ hair, keep them clean, dress them in comfortable clothes and apply makeup as they have always worn it (if they want to wear it), all affirming identity and worth.

Personal care in the final weeks includes gentle assistance with washing and bathing adapted to comfort levels, mouth care to prevent dryness (particularly when fluid intake reduces), skin care to maintain comfort and supporting grooming preferences even when these take extra time.

We maintain familiar routines where possible, including morning tea in a favourite chair, afternoon visits from particular carers or evenings with familiar TV shows, to ensure consistency and comfort when everything else feels uncertain.

Many residents continue to value connection and engagement well into their final weeks. As Stella’s family noted, we “involved her in activities with humour and understanding.” Someone approaching death is still a whole person who might enjoy company, appreciate a joke or want to participate when they are able to. So, we adapt activities thoughtfully, reading cues carefully and recognising when the resident wants company and when they need to rest.

Pain Management and Symptom Control

It goes without saying that physical comfort is fundamental in end-of-life care. Effective symptom management allows someone to spend their final time peacefully and with dignity rather than in distress.

We work closely with GPs, district nurses and specialist palliative care services to ensure residents have access to appropriate medication and expert symptom management as soon as they need it. We use anticipatory prescribing. This means having medications available at Old Shenfield Place before they are needed. If someone develops pain, breathlessness, nausea or agitation, relief can be provided immediately without waiting. And our staff are trained to recognise symptoms, assess severity and administer medication appropriately.

Environmental comfort works alongside the medication, where we make sure room temperatures are comfortable with reduced noise and no harsh lighting. Sheets will always be clean and our team carefully positions residents in bed to maximise comfort and dignity.

As death approaches, our carers concentrate on comfort and presence, providing frequent repositioning, gentle mouth care and ensuring cleanliness and dignity.

Supporting Families Through the Process

Our end-of-life care extends to grieving families experiencing uncertainty and the difficulty of saying goodbye.

Communication is at the top of our priorities during this time as we keep families updated on changes in condition, explain what to expect as death approaches as well as involving them in care decisions.

We provide unrestricted visiting hours during end-of-life care, meaning families can come and go, stay overnight or be present at any time. We offer comfortable facilities for overnight stays with access to refreshments and bathrooms. There is flexibility in the number of visitors allowed. Our team also support families in arranging clergy visits or accommodating cultural and religious requirements. Memory-making opportunities, such as photographs or quiet time together, can create lasting comfort for families and give them something to cherish in the future.

Our Commitment to Dignified End-of-Life Care

Providing end-of-life care is important work that requires clinical knowledge, emotional resilience, and, of course, deep compassion. At Old Shenfield Place, we are committed to allowing our residents to pass on peacefully, comfortably and with the utmost dignity, surrounded by familiar people in a place they know.

Our team trains continuously, works collaboratively with healthcare professionals, communicates honestly with families and never ever loses sight of the person at the centre of it all, your loved one.

The knowledge that their loved one’s final chapter was filled with kindness, respect and grace is comforting to family members who are deep in the most difficult moment of their lives.

If you would like to discuss our approach to end-of-life care or have questions about how we support residents and families during this time, please contact us at Old Shenfield Place. We are here and ready to help.