 Palliative Care
What is Palliative Care?
Palliative care is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as:
‘an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychological and spiritual.’
"Palliative care aims to comfort, not to cure; to relieve pain and distress for people who are dying, and to support parents, families and friends in approaching death and healing grief."
The Palliative Care Council of South Australia www.pallcare.asn.au
Resthaven offers palliative care and support for those residents and clients whose illness or chronic condition cannot be cured. The philosophy is to support people to maintain a quality of life that is as best as possible for the person who is dying. This may be through controlling physical symptoms, such as pain or illness, support with the emotional, social or spiritual needs that people may have and support for their carers and family.
Comfort for the Carer
To assist families when visiting their relative during the palliative phase, Resthaven has an electric recliner lounge chair at each residential aged care facility, available for use by caregivers of residents with a life limiting illness. For people living at home in the community, a chair is available for booking.
These chairs are provided to increase comfort for carers who choose to stay with their relative during the palliative phase, both during the day and at night. The chairs have been chosen for their comfort, and are able to be modified to suit individual comfort needs (through inflatable air cushions, and separate function of the foot and back rests: each can be raised or lowered).
 On request, staff will check the availability of the chair arrange for it to be brought to the appropriateroom if it is available, or discuss alternative arrangements for thosetimes when the chair is notimmediately available or cannot be accommodated.
Memorial Service
An annual Memorial Service is held at each residential facility. The service aims to remember all those who have passed away at that site during the previous year. The service is conducted by Resthaven's Coordinating Chaplains.
Pastoral Care
Resthaven offers a caring, ecumenical environment. Pastoral support, comfort and counsel is provided for those who seek it, through our Coordinating Chaplains and Chaplain's Assistants.
Click here for more information on chaplaincy or www.sa.uca.org.au.
Regular Church worship services and Bible studies are held at each location. Support is offered for residents of other faiths.
Palliative Care Package for Carers of People with Dementia
 Resthaven is currently developing a package which aims to better equip Community Coordinators to support carers of people with dementia. The package will give carers the support they need to continue to care for someone with dementia at home until the end, if this is their choice.
The package highlights the importance of issues such as:
- Getting to know the person with dementia, and understanding their importance in their family and in society,
- Acknowledging the primary care giver, and identifying any other friends or family who may be involved in the person’s care,
- Understanding what is important to the client and their carer,
- Working with a ‘team’, including the person’s GP and other service providers.
- Planning for the future, including a possible move into acute care.
We are currently enlisting carers of people with dementia who are interested in being involved in this project.
Involvement in the project may not require any contact with the project team at all, if this is their preference. However, if the carer wishes to provide direct feedback in the form of interviews or training, this is most welcome. Resthaven can fund in home respite while carers attend either of these.
Other methodology which may be used includes meeting with past carers, reading past case notes, and meeting and working with palliative care specialists and staff who have supported people to stay at home.
With your assistance, we aim to identify gaps in services and systems to improve them in the future.
This project is funded by the Commonwealth Government of Australia.
For further information:
please ring Valerie Sandlant, Project Manager, on 8206 0111 or 0457 825 914.
Resthaven wins SA Palliative Care Awards
On July 3 2009, Resthaven's approach to Palliative Care was recognised by the Palliative Care Council. Resthaven won the Aged Care Award (for the most outstanding application of palliative care provided by an organisation or an individual in an aged care setting), in the inaugural Palliative Care Awards 2009. The award was announced in a ceremony at Government House and presented by the patron of the Palliative Care Council of SA, Mrs Liz Scarce, wife of Governor Kevin Scarce.
The citation recognised the range of initiatives Resthaven has undertaken as a part of the strategic plan review of palliative care and the palliative care grant to improve information about decision making.
Resthaven is also thrilled to congratulate long serving volunteer, Helen Doley, who won the volunteer award. What a fantastic result!
The World Health Organisation (WHO) Definition of Palliative Care:
Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual.
Palliative care:
- provides relief from pain and other distressing symptoms;
- affirms life and regards dying as a normal process;
- intends neither to hasten or postpone death;
- integrates the psychological and spiritual aspects of patient care;
- offers a support system to help patients live as actively as possible until death;
- offers a support system to help the family cope during the patient’s illness and in their own bereavement;
- uses a team approach to address the needs of patients and their families, including bereavement counselling, if indicated;
- will enhance quality of life, and may also positively influence the course of illness;
- is applicable early in the course of illness, in conjunction with other therapies that are intended to prolong life, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, and includes those investigations needed to better understand and manage distressing clinical complications.
Source: http://www.who.int/cancer/palliative/definition/en/
Resthaven has a number of trained volunteers and staff with a special interest in Palliative Care, who aim to support and empower older people within Resthaven throughout this time. Staff and volunteers have access to in-house and external training programs in relation to palliative care.
For more information about Paliative Care visit: http://www.caresearch.com.au/caresearch/WhatisPalliativeCare/tabid/63/Default.aspx
Guidelines for End of Life
Guidelines to help health practitioners discuss end-of-life issues with palliative care patients and their families have been published as a special supplement to the Medical Journal of Australia and can be accessed at:http://www.mja.com.au/public/issues/186_12_180607/cla11246_fm.html
For more information on Palliative Care, try these links:
CareSearch, the palliative care knowledge network.
CareSearch is an online resource designed to help those needing relevant and trustworthy information and resources about palliative care. The website has been funded by the Australian Government as part of the National Palliative Care Program.
CareSearch DVD's
The Palliative Care Council of South Australia
www.pallcare.asn.au
202 Greenhill Rd, Eastwood, SA, 5063
(08) 8291 4137
A Practical Guide to Coping With Bereavement
http://www.mhcs.health.nsw.gov.au/topics/Palliative_Care.html#8885.
The NSW Multicultural Health and Communication service has developed
A practical guide to coping with bereavement.
The information provided in the guide reflects the questions commonly asked by family and friends of someone who died while in hospital. It includes:who to notify, arranging a funeral, responses to death and support services.
The information is included in various languages, including: Arabic, Chinese Traditional, English, French, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Macedonian, Russian, Spanish and Turkish. The information is included in various languages, including: Arabic, Chinese Traditional, English, French, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Macedonian, Russian, Spanish and Turkish.
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