Focusing on quality of life.
Resthaven provides palliative care and support for residents and clients with a chronic illness or condition.
Palliative care is not just about end of life. When treatment focus is changed from ‘cure’ to ‘care’ it can greatly improve the quality of life of residents, clients, and their families.
Our philosophy aims to maintain or improve quality of life through the prevention and relief of suffering. This can include:
- Controlling physical symptoms, such as pain
- Support with emotional, social or spiritual needs
- Support for carers and family
- Respect and support of individual choices.
Palliative and end of life care is everyone’s business, not just the domain of nurses and doctors. Dying is more than just a physical process requiring clinical/medical care. It involves social, cultural, spiritual and other domains of a person’s life.
Resthaven staff and volunteers have much to contribute to this, whether it be direct clinical care, supporting family members, or coordinating services and resources. Resthaven provides training to ensure they are competent and confident in what is sometimes challenging but also rewarding work.
Resthaven provides specialist support when there are complex clinical and psychosocial needs.
Resthaven was asked ‘Ten Questions about Palliative Care’ by Palliative Care Australia
Click here to read our answers.
All of the care was wonderful, but the palliative care was just beautiful. The staff were always friendly and kind. From carers, nurses, housekeeping, laundry, admin and everyone else – right from the top, across the site. We cannot express how much we thank you and mum called this her home and loved it here. This was always her first choice.
— Family of an Aberfoyle Park resident
