Time to Consider Future Plans

Each year, National Palliative Care Week raises awareness of palliative care in Australia. This year’s theme is: Living Well with Chronic Illness. The theme addresses the need for people with advanced chronic illness to be able to access palliative care. 

Four out of five deaths in Australia are caused by chronic illness, but there is a misconception that only cancer patients can access palliative care.

This year, chronic illness and palliative care are highlighted, to reinforce that palliative care can help people with chronic illnesses to live well. People often have more than one chronic illness, and each may affects their health in different ways. Early access to palliative care can help them have a better quality of life.

Resthaven offers chronic condition self-management programs, exercise classes and other support for people living with a chronic condition.

Resthaven employs a Palliative Care Nurse Practitioner, Peter Jenkin, who offers specialist support. Recently, he has run workshops at several Resthaven locations to emphasise the importance of having Advance Care Directives. Advance care planning is one of the ways to express your wishes on how you want to die and arrangements after your death.

National Palliative Care Week can be a conversation starter to celebrate life and talk about death. These important questions need to be considered for people who have a life limiting condition.

• Have you established a medical power of attorney?
• How do you want to be cared for?
• What values are important to you?
• What do you want when you die?
• Have you considered if you wish to be buried or cremated?
• Do you want to pass away at home, in residential care or in a hospice?

All these questions and more need to be addressed to plan for the best death possible and so that family and friends know your wishes. For details about advance care planning, go to visit www.advancecaredirectives.sa.gov.au for more information.

Resthaven has a number of resources available for people with life limiting conditions. Find them here:

• Live Well, Die Well: Information for carers, family and friends of people living with end stage dementia
• The Good, the Bad and the Brilliant: Lessons from the journey of living with dementia

Click here to find out more aboout Resthaven's aged care and home care services.