Palliative Care at Home in Northern Ireland
When a loved one is living with a life-limiting illness, the priority for most families is simple: to ensure their loved one is comfortable, cared for, and surrounded by the people and places they know. At Visiting Angels Northern Ireland, our palliative home care service provides compassionate, dignified support that allows individuals to remain at home during one of the most profound chapters of their lives.
Trusted, Regulated Palliative Care Across Northern Ireland
Our palliative care service is available across Belfast, Holywood, Bangor, Groomsport, Donaghadee, Newtownards, Comber, Dundonald, Carryduff, Saintfield, Lisburn, Hillsborough, Dunmurry, Jordanstown, Whiteabbey, Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus, Ballyclare, Antrim, Ballymena, and Crumlin. We are registered with the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) and our caregivers are registered with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC).
What Is Palliative Home Care?
Palliative care is specialist support focused on improving the quality of life for individuals living with a serious, life-limiting illness. It is not only about end-of-life care. Palliative care can begin at any point after a serious diagnosis and runs alongside medical treatment.
Palliative home care in Northern Ireland means that this specialist support is delivered in the individual’s own home, working alongside their medical team, hospice, and family to ensure every day is lived as comfortably and meaningfully as possible.
Palliative home care may include:
- Personal care delivered with gentleness and sensitivity
- Medication reminders and support with prescribed routines
- Comfort care and symptom management support
- Emotional support, companionship, and presence
- Meal preparation and nutritional support
- Assistance with mobility and repositioning for comfort
- Overnight and continuous care for those in the later stages of illness
- Practical household support to ease pressure on the family
- Respite care so family caregivers can rest and recharge
Supporting the Whole Family Through Palliative Care
Palliative care is not only about the individual receiving support. It encompasses the entire family. Watching a loved one live with a serious illness is one of the most emotionally demanding experiences a family can face.
At Visiting Angels Northern Ireland, we work alongside families across Northern Ireland as partners. We provide consistent professional care so family members can be present as sons, daughters, spouses, and friends, rather than feeling overwhelmed by the demands of physical caregiving. Our palliative care team offers:
- A calm, reassuring presence for the individual and their household
- Open, sensitive communication with families at every stage
- Flexible care that adjusts as needs change week by week
- Guidance on what to expect and how to navigate difficult moments
- Emotional support for family caregivers who are also grieving
Our Approach to Palliative Care
Dignity and Comfort at the Centre of Everything
In palliative care, dignity is not simply a value. It is the foundation of every single interaction. Our caregivers approach every visit with profound sensitivity, ensuring your loved one is always treated as a whole person, with their own preferences, wishes, and story.
Your Choice of Caregiver
We give families the opportunity to be involved in choosing who provides care. In palliative situations, the relationship between caregiver and individual is particularly meaningful, and we take the matching process seriously.
Consistency of Care
We are committed to ensuring your loved one is supported by the same familiar caregiver, or small trusted team, throughout their palliative care journey. Continuity of care reduces anxiety, builds genuine trust, and allows caregivers to respond sensitively to changing needs.
Specialist Palliative Care Training
Our caregivers receive specific training in palliative and end-of-life care, covering comfort care, communication at end of life, supporting families through the process, and responding with compassion to the emotional as well as physical aspects of this stage of life.
Working Alongside Your Medical Team
We work in close coordination with your loved one's GP, district nursing team, hospice, and any other healthcare professionals involved in their care. Our role is to complement and support the wider care network, not to replace it.
Signs Your Loved One May Benefit from Palliative Home Care
Palliative home care in Northern Ireland may be the right support if:
- Your loved one has received a life-limiting diagnosis and wants to remain at home
- They are experiencing symptoms that require consistent daily management
- Family caregivers are struggling with the physical and emotional demands of providing care
- Your loved one requires overnight support or continuous care
- The family would benefit from a trusted professional presence to share the caregiving responsibility
- Your loved one has expressed a wish to remain at home rather than move into a care setting
Keeping Families Connected with Birdie
At Visiting Angels Northern Ireland, we use Birdie, a digital care platform that gives families real-time visibility of their loved one’s care.
Through the Birdie app, family members can:
- Access live care notes after every visit
- View the care plan and completed tasks
- See medication reminders and comfort care logged in real time
- Receive updates on mood, wellbeing, and any changes
- Stay connected wherever they are
During palliative care, Birdie is particularly valued by families who cannot always be present. Knowing what happened during a visit and how their loved one was feeling gives families genuine reassurance during an incredibly difficult time.
Flexible Palliative Care Options Across Northern Ireland
We offer palliative care that adapts to the changing needs of your loved one and your family:
- Minimum hourly visits for light support and companionship
- Daily visits for personal care, comfort support, and routine assistance
- Overnight care for individuals requiring support through the night
- Live-in palliative care for those who need continuous presence and support
- Respite care to give family caregivers planned and regular periods of rest
Support can increase at any point as needs change, and we will always work with you to ensure the right level of care is in place.
Next steps
Start with A friendly chat
Give us a call today to discuss your loved one’s care needs. This will be a chance for you to ask any questions and to address any concerns you may have about the care for your family member.
Book a FREE care consultation
After our initial chat, you have the chance to book a free home assessment which will allow us to properly understand your home care needs & assess the kind of support you would need.
Personalised care plan
After the home assessment, our fully trained care team will put together a personalised care plan for you.
Start the care package
We will carefully choose a caregiver to match your needs and preferences and once you’re happy with everything, your care will commence.
“Thank you for your invaluable service and for making it very simple. I know that Mum was truly happy to have someone there to help her with all her needs.”
Monica, Daughter of client
“Our sincerest thanks for providing our loved one, Ruth, with some of the kindest people to ever enter our home. Mum’s caregiver not only provided Ruth with daily care but nourished her mind, body and soul with loving words and even song.”
Laurence, Son of client
“Thank you for your invaluable service and for making it very simple. I know that Mum was truly happy to have someone there to help her with all her needs.”
Monica, Daughter of client
“Our sincerest thanks for providing our loved one, Ruth, with some of the kindest people to ever enter our home. Mum’s caregiver not only provided Ruth with daily care but nourished her mind, body and soul with loving words and even song.”
Laurence, Son of client
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FAQS
What is the difference between palliative care and end-of-life care?
Palliative care is a broad approach to supporting people with serious, life-limiting illnesses. It can begin at any point after diagnosis and runs alongside treatment. End-of-life care is a specific part of palliative care focused on the final weeks and days of life. At Visiting Angels Northern Ireland, we provide support across both stages.
Can palliative home care be provided overnight?
Yes. We offer overnight and live-in palliative care across Northern Ireland for individuals who require continuous support or whose family members need to rest. Please speak to our team about what is available.
Do you work alongside hospices and medical teams in Northern Ireland?
Yes. We work in coordination with GPs, district nurses, hospices, and other healthcare professionals involved in your loved one’s care. Our role is to complement the wider team and ensure your loved one’s home care is aligned with their overall care plan.
Can I choose the caregiver who looks after my loved one?
Yes. We involve families in choosing caregivers, particularly in palliative situations where the relationship between caregiver and individual is deeply important. We take time to find the right match.
How do you ensure the same caregiver visits each time?
We work hard to ensure consistency, assigning a primary caregiver and keeping any changes to a minimum. For palliative care in particular, continuity of care is one of our strongest commitments.
What is Birdie and how does it support palliative care families?
Birdie is the digital care platform we use to keep families informed. After every visit, your caregiver logs observations and care notes. Family members access this through the Birdie app in real time, providing full transparency and peace of mind during an incredibly difficult period.
Is Visiting Angels Northern Ireland regulated?
Yes. We are registered with the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA) and our caregivers are registered with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC).
How quickly can palliative home care be arranged in Northern Ireland?
We understand the urgency that often surrounds palliative care. Following an initial assessment, we work as quickly as possible to put the right support in place. Please contact us as soon as you know support is needed.
What areas do you cover for palliative home care?
We provide palliative home care across Belfast, Holywood, Bangor, Groomsport, Donaghadee, Newtownards, Comber, Dundonald, Carryduff, Saintfield, Lisburn, Hillsborough, Dunmurry, Jordanstown, Whiteabbey, Newtownabbey, Carrickfergus, Ballyclare, Antrim, Ballymena, and Crumlin. If your town or area is not listed here, please do not hesitate to get in touch. We are always working to extend our coverage and will do our very best to help, whether that means arranging care for you directly or pointing you towards the right support in your area.
The right support, just when you need it
Speak with a home care specialist today.
- The very best carers because the right carer changes everything.
- We put our caregivers first, because when they feel valued and supported, they deliver exceptional care.
- Tailored around your needs, giving you the time, dignity and freedom you deserve.
Make an enquiry about hourly home care
Speak to Our Palliative Care Team
If you are looking for palliative home care in Northern Ireland for a loved one, we are here to help you with empathy and understanding. This is one of the most significant decisions a family can make, and we will guide you through it with honesty, care, and respect.
Contact Visiting Angels Northern Ireland today to discuss how our palliative care service can support your family, at home, where your loved one belongs.
