A BELFAST woman whose husband died from heart failure has spoke about the importance of palliative care, which allowed him to have the "peaceful and dignified death he wanted"
Gail McComb from Dunmurry said it "meant so much" to her husband David that he was able to return home before he passed away in March, aged 74.
Her comments come as new guidance to support heart failure patients at the end of their life will be launched today to mark Palliative Care Week.
The British Heart Foundation Northern Ireland has been working with the NI Palliative Care Programme board, NI Regional Heart Failure Forum and the five health and social care trusts to improve the quality of life of heart failure patients with palliative and end-of-life-care.
Around 18,300 patients in the north have been diagnosed with heart failure, which occurs when the heart muscle is unable to pump blood around the body as well as it did before.
While treatments are available to help some of the symptoms, there is no cure for the condition.
This new guidance will support healthcare professionals and patients plan for palliative care, manage symptoms and support those who want to die at home rather than in hospital.
Mr McComb was able to spend his last months at home as he battled heart failure.
"The hospital sent him home in the September and told us to get our affairs in order, he was so pleased to be home and we were able to have a bed downstairs where he could be comfortable," she said.
"The community nurses came in every day, we also had carers in every day too and support from Marie Curie.
"They really looked after him. David was able to look out onto our lovely garden and be relaxed in his own home. It meant so much that he was at home in his own surroundings.
"Twelve days before he died David was transferred to the NI Hospice and his care there was also excellent. He had so much support and all the staff were fantastic.
"David was able to have the peaceful and dignified death he wanted."
Craig Moore, cardiovascular disease clinical co-ordinator with BHF NI, said palliative care "would benefit people with chronic heart failure".
"Often this isn’t being offered to people with heart failure because of confusion about when referral to palliative care is appropriate, or because it’s not clear when people are nearing the end of their life," he said.
"Patients with heart failure can spend months or in and out of hospital with recurrent symptoms and many will eventually die in hospital.
"It is important that patients are given the same equity as other palliative care patients and be given the opportunity to be cared for and die at home or in a hospice.
"People living with heart failure deserve to have a peaceful and dignified death and these new guidelines will help support this shift in care.”
