ABSTRACT
Providing palliative care for patients in the fi nal stage of their lives can be very draining, especially when we know that the patient is not going to recover. When working in a care home, staff resources are often less than ideal, and most days tend to be rushed, due to the need to fi t everything in and provide care for patients ranging from those who are quite well to those who are dying. Also, because many people live in care homes for weeks, months or even years, they do become part of the care home ‘family’, and when they become poorly and eventually die, it is not unusual for the carers to experience a sense of loss. We are only human, and it is very easy to become more ‘attached’ to some patients than others, and the death of these patients undoubtedly leaves us with an emotional scar. Unfortunately, in a care home there often isn’t time to grieve, as there is always someone else who needs to be cared for, and a vacant bed is usually quickly fi lled by another patient.
