$25,000 donated to West Gippsland Palliative Care
Maryann Bills and Sue McDermott with the cheque for $25,000 donation presented by President Sharryn and the driving force team behind the fund raising Clearance Sale -- Rotarians Don, Bill, Peter and Glynn
Palliative Care - Services that support quality of life
Chairman Don Kelly had great pleasure in introducing the guest speakers for the evening, Sue McDermott, Manager of District Nursing and Maryann Bills, Palliative Care Nurse Practioner. What follows is the presentation by Maryann on the services provided by West Gippsland Palliative Care.
What Is Palliative Care
- Palliative care is specialist health care and practical support for those living with a terminal illness (Palliative Care Victoria)
- Palliative Care is care provided for people of all ages who have a life limiting illness, with little or no prospect of cure, and for whom the primary treatment goal is quality of life (Palliative Care Australia)
- An approach that improves 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, psychological and spiritual (World Health Organisation).
Palliative care aims
- To provide comfort and freedom from pain
- To care for the whole person; physically, emotionally, socially and culturally
- To improve quality of life
- To support family and friends, including through bereavement
What sort of services are involved?
Our role is to talk to seriously ill people and those close to them about their needs and preferences.
Services cover:
- Personal comfort and wellbeing: pain & symptom management - palliative care physicians, medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, GP, physiotherapy, OT, dietician, speech pathologist etc.
- Emotional support: counselling, psychology
- Spiritual & cultural care: pastoral care,
- support from volunteers to socialise, enjoy hobbies or create a legacy, respite services, home help
- Advance Care planning: help to start a discussion – social worker
How is palliative care delivered?
Specialist palliative care services are tailored to meet patient needs:
- Care can be delivered daily, weekly, or much less frequently depending on need
- It can complement existing medical services or treatments
- Where there are complex physical and other needs, ongoing support is available, including hospital care
- Short-term interventions can help people who are having a period of illness to stabilise their condition
Help for carers and family.
Palliative care supports the person who is ill and those close to them:
- Respite care
- Counselling
- Advice on how to provide care
- Help to find appropriate legal and financial assistance
Who can benefit from palliative care?
Anyone who has a life-limiting illness who needs specialist services. That may include:
- People with cancer, end stage chronic diseases, organ diseases, dementia, and degenerative conditions
- People of all ages, cultures and beliefs
Who provides palliative care? A Team
- Palliative care teams can include:
- Specialist doctors
- Social workers
- Occupational and speech therapists
- Spiritual carers
- Family and friends
Common fears
- Does palliative care mean moving to a hospice?
- Does palliative care mean death is imminent?
- Do palliative care patients become addicted to pain medication?
- Is palliative care expensive?
The facts are:
- Palliative care is available in many settings. Most people prefer to receive, and do receive, palliative care in the home where they live.
- Not everyone receiving palliative care is about to die.
- Some people live with their condition for years, some have periods of wellness, some may recover.
- People can move in and out of palliative care as their needs change. It is provided in tandem with ongoing medical care.
- Pain medication is used where appropriate but patients do not become addicted and drugs are not used to hasten death.
- Most palliative care services are free. Some private therapists, hospices and hospitals may charge fees.
How to access palliative care:
- You can ask your GP or specialist for a referral if you or your family need support.
- You can also contact a community palliative care service directly for advice.
Talk about future care
It helps if patients talk to their family and health professionals about their care wishes
Issues to consider include:
- Advance Care Plans
- Appointing decision makers
- Funeral planning
- Centrelink and super
- Right to refuse treatment
Key messages
- Palliative care aims to improve a person’s quality of life and relieve suffering by offering physical, social, cultural, spiritual, emotional and practical support
- Palliative Care is not confined to the end of life, and can be provided at any stage after diagnosis
- Palliative Care is for anyone with a life limiting illness
- Palliative Care can assist people in different ways, depending on their needs
- Palliative Care does not mean that a person is giving up or that their family members don’t care
Chairman Don expressed the appreciation of the Club, not only for the Presentation, but also for the work that these very expert, caring and supportive people bring to not just their patients, but also to the careers and families in what can be an extraordinarily difficult and emotional time in their lives.