Do you really know what Palliative Care IS??
LOVE IS NOT ENOUGH – LET’S TALK ABOUT PALLIATIVE CARE
What is Palliative Care?
Do you know someone who is living with a life limiting illness? Do you know someone who is elderly? If you do, and I’m guessing the answer is yes, then you know someone who needs Palliative Care. “Palliative Care”!!! I hear you say, isn’t that for when you are on your death-bed?? Dying? Ready to cross over??
“No” I would say to you.
After interviewing 2023 WA Australian of the year for her research and passion into Palliative Care and Compassionate Communities Professor Samar Aoun – I became very curious about Palliative Care myself and how we can start conversations around it.
In an article which Samar wrote for “The Conversation” online newsletter, she writes: “Palliative care aims to prevent and relieve physical, social, emotional, spiritual and existential distress. Palliative care also supports family caregivers during the disease journey and bereavement phase. You might have heard it mentioned for cancer, but it is beneficial for the majority of life-limiting conditions”. ** Link to article below.
What this actually means in real life is that those with life limiting illnesses, should be considering and designing their Palliative Care options NOW!! To relive those physical, social, emotional, spiritual and existential distresses which Professor Auon speaks of, this takes communications and willing conversations around care, death, dying, life, how it all fits together.
My podcast “#HashtagDeath” has the aim and mission to break down barriers and smash stigmas around conversations around death and dying. A big part of this is to “demystify” what Palliative Care is, how it can look and what can come of “good” or “well managed” Palliative Care.
Feeling like you understand a bit more? Here’s what you can do next!
Once I began to understand what Palliative Care really means, I became curious and attended a Palliative Care Australia Palliative Care WA Advanced Care Directive workshop. One of the most practical and thought evoking workshops, at any age.
In one of the activities, there is a deck of cards, with “what is important to you” options, for if you became physically or mentally limited in life. They get important thoughts activated whilst completing the “Advanced Care Directive” paperwork. Thoughts of morals, values and wishes begin to ruminate – would YOUR loved one’s know these priorities for your living and choices if you did not directly tell them? What about your knowledge of your parents, siblings, grandparents in these same circumstances? Your partner? These are truly conversations we seldom share.
I look to encourage conversations about death and dying, it is the mission of the “#HashtagDeath” Podcast.
Having a conversation about dying, will not kill you, however you may learn a lot about the life of your loved one’s, their choices, wishes, values, morals and priorities. Then…………..when the inevitable DOES come along, you can have a little peace and calmness because you know some of these choices and have shared conversations around them.
Have a conversation and offer this as a discussion with your loved one’s because in the end, love is not enough, we need conversations about death, dying and LIVING!!!
