National Palliative Care Week 2021
The public are being urged to broaden their perceptions and understanding of palliative care during National Palliative Care Week (23-29 May).
The theme for National Palliative Care Week 2021 is Palliative Care: It's More Than You Think. The theme seeks to broaden the community's perceptions and understanding of palliative care, demonstrating its role in supporting the physical, emotional, spiritual and social needs of people living with a life-limiting illness, their families and their care team.
To acknowledge National Palliative Care Week and to raise awareness about what palliative care can do to support patients and families living with a life limiting illness, Broken Hill Specialist Palliative Care Services will be showcasing their multidisciplinary team and services to the community.
In the lead up to Palliative Care Week, on Thursday 20 May 2021 from 11am-2pm, community members are invited to join the Palliative Care team at the Broken Hill Wellbeing Place, 343 Blende St for a cuppa and to learn more about their services.
Our multidisciplinary services will have informal displays of their services, including resources and information. Staff will be available to answer questions and everyone is invited to come and meet our nursing and medical staff, social worker, bereavement counsellor, volunteer coordinator and allied health professionals.
There will also be information and staff to talk to regarding Advance Care Planning. Advance care planning promotes care that is consistent with your goals, values, beliefs and preferences. It prepares you and others to plan for future health care and a time when you may no longer be able to communicate those decisions yourself.
Melissa Cumming, Program Director Cancer & Palliative Care Services said: 'Staff will help people with tips on how to have these important conversations with family, and how to identify and document your wishes if you were unable to speak for yourself.'
Around half of Australians will not be able to make their own end-of-life medical decisions. 85% of people die after a chronic illness, not a sudden event. The aim is to empower people to understand that they have a choice about their end-of-life care and the steps they can take today to enable control of their future health care, and ensure their wishes are respected.
Palliative Care is more than you think.