Dignified End of Life Care
at Home in Surrey and London
When someone you love is approaching the end of their life, being at home, in their own space, surrounded by the people and things they cherish, can be the greatest comfort of all. Our end of life carers provide gentle, expert support so your loved one can spend their final days with dignity, peace, and the people who matter most.
What is End of Life Care at Home?
End of life care is specialist support provided to people who are in the final weeks or days of their life. It is care centred entirely on comfort, dignity, and the wishes of the person. It is about ensuring that your loved one is not in unnecessary pain, is never left feeling alone, and is able to spend this precious time in the place they feel safest and most at peace.
At SD Care, our end of life carers receive specialist training that goes beyond standard care skills. They understand how to support someone who is dying, how to communicate with sensitivity and honesty, and how to be a steady, calm presence in what is often an overwhelming and exhausting time for the whole family. We work closely with community nurses, GPs, and hospice at home teams to make sure every aspect of care is coordinated.
Choosing to care for someone at home at the end of their life is one of the most loving decisions a family can make. We are here to make it possible, and to make sure you do not have to do it alone.
- Personal care delivered with complete gentleness, dignity, and sensitivity
- Comfort positioning, pressure care, and skin integrity monitoring
- Medication prompting and liaison with the clinical team for symptom control
- Calm, unhurried presence and emotional support throughout every visit
- Practical household support to reduce pressure on the family
- Family support, regular updates, and signposting to bereavement resources
When Should You Consider
End of Life Care at Home?
Knowing when the time has come to arrange end of life care is not always clear. These are some of the situations in which families contact us, and where we can make a real and lasting difference.
A wish to die at home
Your loved one has clearly expressed that they want to spend their final days at home, and the family is committed to making that wish a reality.
Overnight or around-the-clock support
Your loved one needs continuous care or reassurance through the night and the family cannot provide this level of support on their own.
Family carers are exhausted
The family has been providing round-the-clock care and is physically and emotionally depleted. Professional support enables everyone to be fully present.
Increasing physical care needs
Your loved one’s physical needs are increasing rapidly and the level of personal care required is beyond what the family can safely manage without professional help.
Anxiety, restlessness, or distress
Your loved one is experiencing periods of agitation or distress and needs a calm, trained professional who knows how to manage these moments with skill and kindness.
Hospital discharge at end of life
Your loved one is being discharged from hospital to spend their final days at home and a package of professional care needs to be put in place quickly.
No available family carers
Your loved one lives alone, or family members live far away and are unable to be physically present to provide consistent daily support.
Comfort, not cure
Treatment has been stopped and the focus has shifted entirely to comfort and quality of remaining life. You want professional support that reflects this change in approach.
Why Choose SD Care for
End of Life Support at Home?
We understand that this is the most significant care decision a family will ever make. At SD Care, we approach end of life care with the gravity and tenderness it deserves. Every carer placed in this role is chosen carefully for their ability to be genuinely present with someone who is dying, to give comfort without words as well as with them, and to support a family through one of life’s most profound experiences.
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CQC Registered and Regulated
SD Care is fully registered with the Care Quality Commission and independently inspected. In end of life care, regulated, accountable provision matters above everything else. Our registration means we meet the highest national standards at all times.
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ISO 9001:2015 Certified by DNV
Our quality management processes are certified to ISO 9001:2015, an internationally recognised standard that guarantees safe, consistent, and professionally managed care across all our locations in Surrey and London.
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Specialist End of Life Training
All carers placed in end of life roles receive specialist training that includes recognising the signs of approaching death, comfort care techniques, medication awareness, communicating with families during bereavement, and the emotional demands of this work.
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Consistent, Trusted Carers
We assign a small, consistent team to each end of life client. At this stage of life, a familiar face carrying out a familiar routine provides profound reassurance to both the person receiving care and to the family beside them.
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Local Teams Across Surrey and London
With teams covering 30 locations, we can respond quickly and provide local support from carers who know your area, and who work alongside the NHS and hospice at home teams already supporting your loved one.
Frequently Asked Questions
About End of Life Care
We know this is an unimaginably difficult time and that you will have many questions. Here are honest, gentle answers to the ones families ask us most often.
How much does end of life care at home cost in Surrey and London?
Our prices start from £24 per hour. Our fees vary based on specific care needs and the location of the client. You can call us to arrange a free initial assessment or talk to our AI chatbot below for more information.
We always provide a full, transparent breakdown of all costs before care begins. We will also talk you through every available funding option during your assessment so that cost is not a barrier to your loved one being cared for at home.
Can my loved one really die at home? Is it possible?
Yes. Dying at home is entirely possible for the majority of people, and it is the expressed wish of most people when asked. With the right professional support in place, including a carer from SD Care working alongside the NHS community nursing team and a hospice at home service if available, your loved one can be kept comfortable and cared for at home throughout.
If you are unsure whether home care is feasible in your specific situation, please call us and we will talk it through honestly with you.
How will the carer work with the NHS and hospice team?
Our carers work as part of the wider care team, not separately from it. They are experienced in working alongside district nurses, community palliative care nurses, MacMillan nurses, and hospice at home services. They document observations carefully, report any changes in condition to the clinical team promptly, and follow all medical guidance at all times.
We liaise with your loved one’s GP and other healthcare providers on your behalf where this is helpful. The goal is seamless, coordinated care so that nothing falls through the gaps.
What funding can help pay for end of life care at home?
NHS Continuing Healthcare Fast Track is specifically designed for people approaching the end of life who have been assessed as having a rapidly deteriorating condition. It can fund end of life care at home in full and can be arranged very quickly, sometimes within hours.
Standard NHS Continuing Healthcare may also apply. Attendance Allowance and local authority care packages are other routes. We will guide you through all available options during your assessment and help you access the right funding as quickly as possible. See all funding options.
How quickly can end of life care at home be arranged?
We understand that end of life care is often needed urgently. In emergency situations, including hospital discharge, we can arrange care within 24 hours of your initial call. We prioritise end of life situations above all others and our team will act as quickly as is humanly possible to get the right carer to your loved one.
Please call us immediately. Do not wait. We will do everything we can to help.
Can you provide overnight end of life care?
Yes. We provide overnight sitting, waking night care, and full live-in end of life care. Many families find that overnight support is the most important element of the care package, as it means the family can rest and your loved one is never alone through the night.
Our waking night carers remain fully alert throughout the night, monitoring for any changes in condition, providing comfort and reassurance, and contacting the clinical team immediately if required.
How do you support the whole family during this time?
End of life care affects every member of the family. Our carers are trained to support not only the person they are caring for, but the family members present. They can provide a calm, stabilising presence during difficult moments, help with practical tasks so the family can simply be together, and update family members honestly and sensitively after each visit.
Our local care managers are also available to speak with families directly, answer questions, and signpost to bereavement and emotional support resources whenever they are needed.
What happens in the final hours? Will the carer stay?
Where a live-in or waking night carer is in place, they will remain present and continue to provide care throughout. If visits are arranged on a scheduled basis, please call us as soon as you feel that the time is near and we will do everything we can to ensure cover is in place.
Our carers are trained in what to expect in the final hours and days of life. They will remain calm, will support the family, and will know how and when to contact the district nursing team or GP. You will not be alone.
Are your carers specifically trained for end of life care?
Yes. Only carers with specific end of life training and, where possible, relevant personal experience, are placed in end of life care roles. Training covers comfort care, recognising the signs of approaching death, symptom management awareness, medication prompting, communication with families during this time, and the emotional and psychological aspects of this work.
We also provide additional support and supervision for our carers working in end of life situations because we understand the weight of this work and take their wellbeing seriously.
Which areas do you cover for end of life care in Surrey and London?
We provide end of life care at home across 30 locations in Surrey and London, including Guildford, Woking, Godalming, Richmond, Ealing, Chiswick, Kingston, Merton, Bromley, Croydon and many more.
If you are not sure whether we cover your area, please call us immediately and we will do everything we can to help. See all our locations.
Have a Quick Question About End of Life Care?
Our AI assistant is available around the clock to answer your questions about end of life care at home, including costs, funding, what to expect, and how quickly we can begin. It is a good first step at any time of day or night, but our human team is always just a phone call away if you would prefer to speak with someone directly.
Our AI can answer general questions but is not a substitute for professional care advice. Always speak to a qualified care manager before making decisions about end of life care at home.