Palliative Care Conversations
Having end-of-life conversations is important for all of us. Yet many of us hesitate to start the conversation.
Personhood Not Patienthood: Tips on dignity-conserving practice in palliative care
One of Dame Cicely Saunders’ foundational tenets of palliative care is embodied in her words, “You matter because you are you, and you matter until the last moment of your life.” Dignity is the inherent worthiness of being human, of mattering until that last breath. Read more on the IAHPC website
Palliative Care – it’s more than you think
Resources are available for doctors, nurses and other health professionals needing to have difficult conversations with patients and loved ones about death and dying. The successful ‘Palliative Care – it’s more than you think’ campaign has been adapted to include a factsheet, poster and other tools to support clinicians who are referring patients to palliative care.
The initial ‘It’s more than you think’ campaign was run by Palliative Care Australia in 2021 and 2022 with the support of the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. with materials produced in 11 different languages, including a special focus on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
What is Palliative Care?
Palliative care is hardly ever discussed or something we feel uncomfortable talking about. That’s why Palliative Care Victoria and AGMC (Australian GLBTIQ Multicultural Council) are proud to present a special event, Our Choices – Conversations with the LGBTQIA+ community about palliative care.
Helping people share what matters most: Planning for future health care
Advance care planning involves exploring and documenting a person’s health care wishes and preferences, so if there comes a time when the person is unable to communicate for themselves, those wishes and preferences can guide care decisions. National Advance Care Planning Week, 18 – 24 March, reminds all of us to share what matters most.
Have you talked to your loved one about their end-of-life choices?
As Australia's population ages, our need for palliative care services is expected to double by 2050. But regardless of age, not everyone gets the same access to end-of-life care when living at home. Meanwhile, a new resource aims to help the families of those moving into aged care, so they can be ready to anticipate their loved one's palliative care needs in future.
Guests:
- Violet Platt, CEO of Palliative Care Victoria
- Nola Horne, a former nurse whose husband received palliative care in an aged care facility.
- Pippa Blackburn, Chair of Palliative Care Social Works Australia.
Are We Doing Dying all Wrong?
As a world leader in managing the care of very sick people, Ken Hillman’s breakthrough methods of treating critically ill patients have become the gold standard in Australia, the U.S. and Europe. His job is about keeping people alive, but he asks us to question whether that’s always a good thing.
Palliative Care - It’s more than you think’
Doctors, nurses, and other health professionals needing to have difficult conversations with patients and loved ones about death and dying now have a range of resources. With funding from The Prince Charles Hospital Foundation, the existing ‘more than you think’ tools have been adapted so that clinicians can use them to frame a conversation and help reset misconceptions. Campaign resources
What is Palliative Care?
Palliative care helps people live as fully and as comfortably as possible with a life-limiting or terminal illness. Palliative care aims to ease the suffering of patients and their families. A life-limiting illness is an active, progressive, or advanced disease, that has little or no prospect of cure and that you’re likely to die from at some point in the future.
Dying for Beginners
Acclaimed author, speaker and former palliative care physician Dr Kathryn Mannix has spent her medical career working with people who have incurable, advanced illnesses and is on a mission to reclaim the public’s understanding of dying.
This thoughtful short video is an interesting watch as Dr Kathryn Mannix gently guides you on a step-by-step journey through the process of dying in this animation by Emily Downe.
Supporting families and providing end-of-life-care
General Practitioners (GPs) play a pivotal role in the care of people with advanced disease, writes palliative care specialist Associate Professor Mark Boughey
Read this article published in November 2023
Live the Life you Please (ABC Radio)
The topic of death is often seen as a conversational taboo and shied away from. ABC Radio National Health Matters host, Dr Norman Swan spoke with Mike Hill about his film Live the Life You Please which sees the discussion about life-limiting diagnoses and end-of-life care more positively (08:56).
A Guide to Planning a Funeral for your Child
Planning a funeral or memorial for a child is one of the most difficult times in life. With the help of families who have walked in those shoes, as well as health professionals and those working in funeral care, Palliative Care Australia (PCA) has released a booklet and accompanying video to support and guide families. With funding from the Department of Health and Aged Care, these resources are a collaboration between Palliative Care Australia, Paediatric Palliative Care Australia and New Zealand and the Australian Funeral Directors Association (AFDA).
Tips for Careworkers: Talking about Dying
Talking about death and dying is not easy. But these conversations can help the person and their family to make decisions about future care.
The Positives of Palliative Care
British TV presenter Jonnie Irwin who was diagnosed with terminal cancer spoke about his experience of palliative care, how it helped him and emphasises that it isn’t just for end of life but can be for weeks, months or years.
Advance Care videos in Vietnamese, Arabic and Turkish
Captioned in English, these videos feature Vietnamese, Arabic and Turkish community members talking about their own advance care planning experiences . The videos are designed to help start a conversation about health care choices. They are available on Advance Care Planning Australia’s website.
What happens as we die?
As with birth, dying is a process. How does it unfold? Can you prepare for it? And why should you keep talking to a dying person even if they don't talk back? This article features Professor Mark Boughey, Director of Palliative Medicine at St.Vincent's Hospital Melbourne.
Dying to Talk Discussion Starter: What Matters Most for Older Australians
The What Matters Most for Older Australians Discussion Starter and card pack has been developed for older people using aged care services and those living with dementia. They are designed to be used with health or aged care staff. The resources can be used to help health and aged care workers and the older person to have these important discussions with the person’s family and friends.
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What actually is palliative care? And how is it different to end-of-life care?
Although it is associated with dying, palliative care is an approach focused on improving quality of life – or how people feel about and respond to facing a life-threatening illness. This article from The Conversation explains what palliative care offers; that it is not just for someone’s final days and that community is an equal partner in the long and complex task of providing quality health care at the end of someone’s life.
SBS TV tackles death and dying
Palliative Care physician and Palliative Care Australia Chair, Professor Meera Agar shared her work and wisdom as part of the Insight program on SBS TV. Talking about death and dying is hard, but so important. Start the conversation with Meera (and a few other faces you might recognise).
What is a good death?
ABC Radio’s Life Matters host, Hilary Harper, speaks with Mike Hill and Simon Waring about their film ‘Live the life you please’. They discuss what that means for different people and how palliative care can open up options beyond the hospital bed (15:00).
Unmasking Grief video series
If you or someone you care about is dealing with grief, connect to the help available from others who walk in similar shoes. This video series commissioned by Palliative Care Australia includes grieving parents sharing their stories, keen to make a difference for other families dealing with grief. Watch and share the link and spend some time with people who understand and feel it too.