As part of our End of Life and Palliative Care Program, we have developed two Western Sydney Palliative Care handbooks which aim to improve patients’ access to palliative care and enhance their quality of life and that of their loved ones.
In recognition of Dying to Know Day, held recently on 8 August, we encourage all adult Australians to improve their knowledge around choices for their end-of-life. As a health care professional, you can support the campaign and improve conversations and action around better death and dying for all Australians.
Palliative care can assist with life-limiting illnesses, including:
- Dementia, including Alzheimer’s Disease and Vascular Dementia
- Advanced chronic lung disease
- Advanced heart disease, including heart failure
- End-stage kidney failure
- End-stage liver disease
- Cancer
- Degenerative neurological conditions
- Frailty, advanced age and/or multiple chronic medical conditions
The diagnosis of any of these life-limiting illnesses can be an overwhelming experience for patients and those around them. Knowing where to seek available support from diagnosis through to the end-of-life period and beyond is important to ensure appropriate care is received.
How Health Professionals and Aged Care Workers Can Support Patients and their Carers
The Palliative Care Community Handbook and Residential Aged Care Facility (RACF) Palliative Care Handbook for Families are available to health professionals and aged care workers when identifying patients that would benefit from a palliative approach to care and ensuring they receive this care in their place of choice.
While most Australians wish to die at home, many older people die in hospitals or aged care facilities. Therefore, it is important to identify people who would like to receive palliative care early.
Services listed in the handbooks are located in Western Sydney. Whilst it is not an exhaustive index, we aim to enable patients, their families and carers with information including:
- What questions to consider asking their aged care provider and GP
- How to create an advance care directive
- Palliative care inpatient and community services
- After hours support
- Carer support
- Counselling and support services for grief and bereavement
- Practical support, including meal delivery, financial support, transport services, equipment and aids
Supporting First Nations People and Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Communities
It is important to understand each patient’s unique cultural needs, values and beliefs, in delivering palliative care and facilitating a dignified death.
Our handbooks include specific resources for First Nations people, which consider honest ways to yarn and build trust and can help the health care team support personal choices that are respectful of both family and culture.
Advance Care Planning Australia and Palliative Care Australia have developed translated resources for patients and their families from CALD communities. There are also refugee-specific services available, such as STARTTS, SydWest Multicultural Services and Jesuit Refugee Services.
For more information about our Palliative Care Handbooks and resources, please visit our webpage.
The development of these handbooks was informed by the work undertaken by Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network, South Western Sydney Primary Health Network, Palliative Care Australia, palliAGED, and CareSearch.
24 August 2023