Park Bench
Take a seat on the bench and take a moment to consider the future.
Understanding holistic care
At the Park Bench, you will find information about your illness and how to manage your symptoms, as well as details on holistic support available.
Why is it important to ensure a holistic approach to care?
- A holistic approach looks at the needs of the whole person, not just your physical, mental or medical needs
- It is a team approach to address the needs of you and your loved ones, focusing on sensitive advanced care planning
It may help to ensure that your preferences and decisions are respected
By addressing physical, emotional and social needs, holistic care can help restore your sense of balance and enable you to manage your illness/live well with your illness, thereby improving your quality of life.1,2
Holistic care brings together our physical health, how we feel, and how we interact with others, which are all interconnected but distinct facets of our well-being.
Looking to your future with holistic care
Explore this booklet to find further guidance and support through a holistic care approach.
Holistic Care Planning
Engage with holistic care
Holistic care aims to integrate psychological and spiritual aspects into patient care. This both affirms life and respects dying as a natural process.
Engaging with holistic care enables you to take control of your care and make informed decisions about the right path for you.
This can be with your doctor or with a nurse; ask if your healthcare centre offers specialist holistic care support.
You don’t have to do this alone, your healthcare team and loved ones can support you through this.
Planning holistic care can be difficult; by preparing yourself for difficult discussions, you can ensure the best outcomes for you.
Talking about your goals and wishes
Discussions about advanced care can be difficult. However, these challenging conversations will benefit you in the long run, as they ensure that everyone in your healthcare team, as well as your loved ones are aware of your wants and needs.
Some tips for starting a conversation about advanced care include:3
- Start by mentioning your worries, fears or wishes
- Seek clarification on any terminology that you are not sure about. Your medical team will be able to help!
- Choose a time and place when it is unlikely that you and other participants will be disturbed
- Remember that you don’t have to talk about everything at once! Different situations work for different people, and there’s no right or wrong way to start talking about the last stage of life
- Let the people you care about know how you feel about them
Start with a question! This may help because it gives the other person a chance to say how they feel
Making decisions about your healthcare
What to consider when speaking with your healthcare team
Take a moment to reflect on what matters most to you and begin developing your holistic care plan.
Making the most of your treatments, for example:
- A breathing technique that helps me is:
- A healthy food to eat when I feel nauseous is:
When I feel anxious I:
Your goals and how to achieve them, for example:
- What is my goal?
- What will I do to achieve this?
- When I feel anxious I:
Who could help me?
Managing Uncertainty
Expand allAdvanced care planning involves thinking and talking about your wishes for how you are cared for during the last stage of your life. Planning ahead can help you receive the care you want.
Planning ahead can help your loved ones, too. It is not an easy topic to think about, but, by discussing your wishes with your family and loved ones, you could be saving them from having to help doctors make difficult decisions later on without knowing what you would have wanted.
If you are approaching the last stage of life, you may be offered care in a variety of settings. Your healthcare team will organise for you to be cared for according to your wishes. You can receive holistic care:4
- At home: Holistic care can often be provided at home. Your GP can arrange for community nurses to come to your home and provide nursing care for you there
- In a care home: You can receive holistic care in a care home, where trained staff are available to look after you day and night
- In a hospital: You may be cared for in a hospital. Many hospitals have specialist holistic care teams who work alongside and support the healthcare team
- In a hospice: Hospice care is provided by a specialist unit run by a team of doctors, nurses, social workers and counsellors
Managing your illness
Managing the symptoms of your illness
A diagnosis of PPF brings up many thoughts, feelings and emotions. Some symptoms of PPF, such as breathlessness and fatigue, can also impact your mood.
It is common for people with PPF to experience depression, anxiety or stress.5 Fortunately, there are things you can do to help you feel better.
Managing fatigue
Dealing with persistent fatigue can have a significant effect on a person’s quality of life.
Fatigue in patients with PPF may occur due to a combination of factors such as decreased oxygen levels, sleep difficulties and emotional distress.
Tips for coping with fatigue6
Dealing with persistent fatigue can have a significant effect on a person’s quality of life.
Fatigue in patients with PPF may occur due to a combination of factors such as decreased oxygen levels, sleep difficulties and emotional distress.
- Consider light exercise routines to develop exercise capacity and improve energy levels
- Consider breaking activities into smaller tasks and pacing yourself throughout the day
- Take a break when you need it and learn how to say “no”
- Practice good sleep habits to improve sleep quality and reduce fatigue
Talk to your doctor about any symptoms you are experiencing
Managing mental health and well-being
Support can be found in the Zen Garden.
Taking notes
An area for you to take notes can be found in the Holistic Care Booklet
Additional information
Picnic Area
For more information and support for your nutritional concerns visit the Picnic Area.
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Jasemi M, et al. Indian J Palliat Care 2017;23:71–80.
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The National Council for Palliative Care. Every Moment Counts. Available at: https://www.nationalvoices.org.uk/sites/default/files/public/publications/every_moment_counts.pdf. Last accessed: December 2025.
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NHS. Starting to talk about your illness/End of life care. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/end-of-life-care/starting-to-talk-about-your-illness/. Last accessed: December 2025.
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NHS. Where you can be cared for/End of life care. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/end-of-life-care/where-you-can-receive-care/. Last accessed: December 2025.
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Pulmonary Fibrosis M.D. Depression and Pulmonary Fibrosis. Available at: https://pulmonaryfibrosismd.com/depression-and-pulmonary-fibrosis/. Last accessed: December 2025.
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Pulmonary Fibrosis M.D. Combating fatigue in Pulmonary Fibrosis. Available at: https://pulmonaryfibrosismd.com/combating-fatigue-pulmonary-fibrosis/. Last accessed: December 2025.
NP-GB-103033 V2 | March 2026