National Palliative Care Week 2023 - 'Matters of Life and Death'
National Palliative Care Week 2023 - 'Matters of Life and Death'
Friday, May 12, 2023
National Palliative Care Week runs, 21 May to 27 May 2023 and aims to put ‘Matters of Life and Death’ front and centre in Australia’s consciousness. Camilla Rowland, Chief Executive Officer at Palliative Care Australia (PCA) says, “We understand that death and dying is a difficult subject to talk about and engage with, but this year we have some powerful voices joining the campaign to inspire and start important conversations.”
“The ‘people at the heart of quality palliative care’ – our workforce and volunteers, have opened their hearts to share the life lessons they learn everyday as they provide care and support to people and families living with a life limiting illness.
“The vibrant video and social media campaign that is central to the week will also allow us all to show our appreciation for the doctors, nurses, physios, social workers, occupational therapists, dietitians, volunteers and the many others who contribute to the person-centred team approach to palliative care.”
Adding further weight to our message is the world premiere of ‘Live the life you please’, a powerful documentary produced by Moonshine Agency. The film delves into the stories of real people from across the country, sharing their personal experiences of palliative care. The film will make you smile, laugh, laugh harder and occasionally shed a tear as this diverse range of Australians share the last chapter of their life with us.
“National Palliative Care Week and the stories we’ll share will open the door on the full scope and impact of palliative care and the quality of life it delivers. I hope it provides a moment of reflection for all Australians to think about and plan for the last chapter of life,” Ms Rowland says.
Film screenings and a host of other events will make for a busy NPCW around the country. A full list of events can be found below as well as a range tools to help grow awareness of palliative care. Getting involved and showing your support for palliative care and the people who deliver it is as easy as sharing your story on social media using #MattersOfLifeAndDeath.
“Whether you are receiving palliative care, looking after someone or know someone who is receiving care, we encourage you to share your experience and break down those taboos,” Ms Rowland says. The advice, tools, and support below have been pulled together to support those working and volunteering in palliative care and help anyone and everyone better understand palliative care and how to access it.
You will also find some great resources to start end-of-life conversations and record those wishes and plans. Please make the most of the communication and marketing assets below to show your support and help amplify the message.
Thanks again, got a question? Email pca@palliativecare.org.au
See what's happening in your state or territory
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National movie screenings
Advice for you
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Other advice, tools and support
- Understanding self-care
- Planning for self-care
- Self-Care Matters campaign resources – a Palliative Care Australia resource, which aims to support you – whatever your role in palliative care – to prevent burnout and build resilience
- Self-care for volunteers working in paediatric palliative care
- Self-care for health professionals working in paediatric palliative care
- Questions for carers to ask the team caring for your loved one
- The Essence of Spiritual Care: A learning module for health care workers
- End of Life Directions for Aged Care (ELDAC) Toolkits – designed to help you in providing palliative care and advance care planning to older Australians
- National Palliative Care Standards for Specialist Palliative Care Services
- National Palliative Care Standards for All Health Professionals and Aged Care Services
- CareSearch Health Professionals Centre – providing trustworthy and practical resources that are relevant to your practice
- End-of-Life Essentials: free education modules and resources
- Palliative Care Online Short Courses, Flinders University
- Oceanic Palliative Care Conference, Sydney, September 2023
- Free PCA shop
- Palliative care NSW – Homelessness and Palliative Care Report
- Department of Health and Aged Care – Exploratory Analysis of Barriers to Palliative Care – Issues Report on People Experiencing Homelessness
- CareSearch: palliative care issues for people experiencing homelessness
- Palliative Care Australia – Providing palliative care for people who are homeless; attempting to break down barriers
- Homeless Palliative Care Toolkit
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Quick links to more info
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Join the conversation
Welcome to another Thursdays@3 episode! 📣📣
Today’s guest joins us from regional Victoria, Vitor Rocha is the Palliative Care Lead with Murray Primary Health Network, base in Bendigo.
Vitor is a gay, Brazilian born, overseas trained GP, researcher, and palliative care public health advocate.
Among other things his work supports diverse communities with their end-of-life journeys, which most recently including work with LGBTIQ+ Health Australia and the development of their new palliative care eLearning modules
Click play to meet Vitor and hear of his life and work that starts in Brazil but for the last seven years has been focused on regional Australia 👇
Show notes and more info:
🧡 LGBTIQ+ Health Australia – LGBTIQ+ Inclusive Palliative Care eLearning 👉 https://www.lgbtiqhealth.org.au/palliative_care
🧡 Murray PHN The Caring Circle – Greater Choices for at Home Palliative Care 👉 https://www.murrayphn.org.au/thecaringcircle/
🧡 “My Choice of Care”: Palliative Care From Multicultural and Multifaith LGBTIQA+ Perspectives and Experiences 👉 https://www.flipsnack.com/palcarevic/pcv-agmc-my-choice-of-care/full-view.html
🧡 LGBTQI+ People and Cancer: A guide for people with cancer, their families and friends 👉 https://www.cancercouncil.com.au/cancer-information/lgbtqi/
🧡 Palliative Care Multilingual resources 👉 https://palliativecare.org.au/mediarelease/talking-about-palliative-care-no-matter-what-language-you-speak/
Thank you for tuning in and engaging in ‘matters of life and death’, you will find advice, tools, and support at the Palliative Care Australia website where you can also make a donation to support our work 👉 https://palliativecare.org.au/
Allied health professionals are a critical and diverse group of health care providers, working across a range of health and palliative care settings including aged care. They help older people to function well physically, socially, and emotionally.
ELDAC – End of Life Directions for Aged Care’s Allied Health Toolkit provides evidence-based resources to support this work and the care of older Australians at the end of their life.
More ➡️ https://ow.ly/ysfv50Rrv6r
National Palliative Care Week returns from 19 May to 25 May 2024. The week marks the nation’s largest annual initiative aimed at deepening people’s understanding of palliative care and encouraging action around end-of-life planning.
“National Palliative Care Week is an opportunity to open minds and hearts to the profound human spirit that drives palliative care and unlock the knowledge that comes when people and families are challenged by a life-limiting diagnosis that talks about death and dying,” says Camilla Rowland, CEO, Palliative Care Australia.
Get involved ➡️ https://ow.ly/Mh0X50RrnmR
#MattersOfLifeAndDeath 🧡
🌟Scholarship to support emerging Nurse Practitioners and Advanced Practice Nurses in the delivery of palliative care!
In partnership with Australian College of Nurse Practitioners, applications are now open for five scholarships worth up to $2000 each to support skills in palliative care, end-of-life pain management, aged care, oncology, and intensive care.
The scholarship’s namesake, Heather May Herrick valued and benefited from the expert care of her local Nurse Practitioner Anne Booms during the last months of her life.
With a desire to see more people benefit from the type of care Heather received, her family has funded this scholarship program.
More info and applications ➡️ https://ow.ly/VR2P50RbXy2
When Jenny Hynson from The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne was a young doctor, she saw the need for formalised paediatric palliative care. Then she helped to make it a reality.
“The difference I see when families have good care is they don’t have regrets. That can really impact on how they grieve,” she says.
More in our People of Palliative Care series ➡️ https://ow.ly/qoqN50RoHyi
Nominations for the Palliative Care South Australia Awards close on Wednesday, 1 May!
Award categories include:
🧡Outstanding Work by a Team in Palliative Care
🧡Outstanding Achievement in Palliative Care Volunteering
🧡Outstanding Achievement Team in Palliative Care Community Engagement
🧡Outstanding Achievement by an Individual in Palliative Care
🧡Lifetime Achievement Award
Nominate this weekend ➡️ https://bit.ly/3P8Y9Zb
