“We need to embrace death and dying as part of living” - National Palliative Care Week 2023 is just the start
“We need to embrace death and dying as part of living” - National Palliative Care Week 2023 is just the start
Friday, June 02, 2023
National Palliative Care Week (NPCW) in 2023 set out to highlight the ‘people at the heart of quality palliative care’ and thousands of people have responded.
The campaign gave people across Australia the chance to show their appreciation for the doctors, nurses, physios, dieticians, social workers, therapists, volunteers, and many others who deliver quality of life to people with life limiting illness and their loved ones.
“Given the pressures our health and aged care systems have been under it was important for us to demonstrate our appreciation and thanks to the health professionals and volunteers who make a difference in people’s lives every day,” says Camilla Rowland, Chief Executive Officer, Palliative Care Australia.
“We gave people a chance to say thank you and reflect on the dedication, skill, and compassion of the palliative care sector and people ran with it.”
Early analytics from PCA’s social media campaign show that at least 398,000 people engaged with our message on Facebook alone.
Some of the comments posted include:
“Thank you to Janice & Sue, forever thankful for caring for my Kev at Gawler Palliative Care. The kindest people,” Tracey.
”Thank you for the care that you gave to my late husband Brian,” Annette.
“Thanks to the palliative care team in Geelong. Without your care and commitment, I would not been able to care for my mum Carmela at home,” Alberta.
“Such an important phase of life. Thanks to all involved,” Frances.
“We are delighted with the response and hope that the results energise the ‘people at the heart of quality palliative care’,” Ms Rowland says.
Story telling around ‘matters of life and death’ was a key part of the 2023 NPCW campaign, with a dynamic social media campaign featuring six real faces from the sector giving us an insight into their work as health professionals, volunteers, and careers.
Juliane Samarra, a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner was one of those to lend her voice and experience, “Generations ago people died at home, cared for by their family. We have now hidden death and dying behind closed doors, either in nursing homes or hospitals. We need to embrace death and dying as part of living. We need to be more comfortable talking about it and having those conversations so that we are more prepared when the time comes,” she says.
Adding huge weight to those conversations, was the release of the documentary ‘Live the life you please’ which screened in over 60 cinemas around Australia.
“Audiences have really been affected by the personal palliative care journeys featured in the film,” Ms Rowland says.
“We heard from people living with dementia, Parkinson’s, MND, cancer – a range of life limiting illnesses, who all wanted to help break down those taboos around death and dying that stop us from engaging with palliative care and end of life conversations earlier.”
Screenings are still taking place around Australia, check the ‘Live the life you please’ website for details and to host a screening in your community contact Moonshine Agency.
“There is so much that happened during National Palliative Care Week for us to reflect on and celebrate, people came together from Townsville to Mount Isa, to Alice Springs, to Bunbury, to Launceston, to Geelong, to Manly,” Ms Rowland says.
“A particular highlight was seeing our federal politicians, including the Minister for Health and Aged Care wear our orange heart lapel pin in Parliament as a show of support for the sector and what we do.
“The orange heart is a symbol that captured people’s attention and something we are considering doing more with in the future.
“Thank you to everyone who got involved, had conversations and lent their support to National Palliative Care Week in 2023, but please don’t stop here, the issues and ideas raising are relevant every week of the year.” Ms Rowland says.
For advice, tools, and support with ‘matters of life and death’ click HERE.
