End of life care

Introduction from Dr Eileen Burns, Consultant Physician and Past President of British Geriatrics Society, and foreword by Dr Sarah Russell, family carer.

This section of the BGS guidance on end of life care in older people looks at the religious, spiritual and cultural aspects that may influence appropriate end of life care.

This section of the BGS guidance on end of life care in older people looks at the emotional and psychological needs that may be present as an older person approaches the end of life.

This section of the BGS guidance on end of life care in older people examines the issue of polypharmacy at the end of life.

This section of the BGS guidance on end of life care in older people looks at swallowing difficulties in the final phase of life.

This section of the BGS guidance on end of life care in older people addresses nutritional needs at the end of life. 

This section of the BGS guidance on end of life care in older people covers the identification and management of delirium in older people at the end of life.

This section of the BGS guidance on end of life care in older people looks at the investigation and management of falls in the last phase of life.

This section of the BGS guidance on end of life care in older people examines the management of continence-related issues in frail older people at the end of life. 

This section of the BGS guidance on end of life care in older people examines the management of pain in older people living with frailty at the end of life.

This section of the BGS guidance on end of life care in older people examines the management of acute deterioration in the context of frailty at the end of life. 

This section of the BGS guidance on end of life care in older people looks at the role of advance care planning (ACP) in helping to make decisions about a persons wishes for the future.

This section of the BGS guidance on end of life care in older people examines how to identify when a person with frailty is entering the last year of life.

This brief guidance was developed by Alistair Burns, National Clinical Director for Dementia at NHS England/Improvement, and has been incorporated into NHS England publications.

This page brings together resources and information for any clinician or carer who finds themselves faced with providing care at the end of life during the COVID-19 pandemic.

View presentation slides from the Joint BGS, Macmillan and RCR OncoGeriatrics Meeting 2019 held on 27-28 February 2019 in London.

Samuel Willis describes the value of stories - telling them and listening to them. It creates bonds and humanises the teller and listener.

Rose Miranda argues that not only researchers, doctors and nurses should be aware of the phenomenon of pain in people with dementia. We need to make the public aware of it too.

What is mental capacity?  What do we really mean when we ask if a patient has (or lacks) capacity?  Capacity often depends on context.  The ethical conundrum of mental capacity unravelled.