Hospice Foundation recommends that no Covid-19 patient be allowed die alone

At least one family member should be allowed stay with a person dying of Covid-19 virus, the Irish Hospice Foundation has recommended. Currently only medical staff in PPE are allowed in such a situation.

Foundation chief executive Sharon Foley said there was "only one chance to get end-of-life care right" and that "dying alone is hugely problematic both for the dying person and their families - creating a lasting memory of distress for families and no doubt impacting on their bereavement".

Many people and staff “in care settings have raised concerns regarding any person dying alone in a healthcare setting where family/loved ones are not allowed to visit, or be with the person, at end of life,” she said.

The Foundation has sought clarity and guidance from the HSE on the matter, she said.

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“We appreciate hospitals and other care settings, will need to assign staff to training families in the ‘donning’ and ‘doffing’ of PPE and that this training and support requires time and resources,” she said.

The Foundation also recommended that hospitals and care settings put in place “ clear guidance and explanations for their visiting policies” where families were concerned.

This should include “details of how limited visiting can be accommodated (where possible), and clear reasons for any restricted visiting policies”.

It should also explain “how families can engage with the hospital or care setting on visiting - ideally through a named contact person, such as a social worker”. This, it felt, could “alleviate some distress for families”.

However if there is “an absolute no-visiting policy at end of life” then the Foundation recommended that “proactive measures are put in place to ensure that dying patients and residents are not left alone and that staff use a variety of methods to bring comfort, compassion and company to the dying person, as well as, communicating these measures and approaches to the families sensitively”.

It said it appreciated this would require “some staff times and resources”.