Healthy End of Life Program (HELP)
Next Meeting: Wednesday 26th July 2017
Time: 7-9pm
Venue: Emerald Community House Hall
End of life care has many dimensions not restricted to the person facing their own mortality, but also family members and carers and their extended family and friends.
A terminal diagnosis due to an incurable disease which might be short or long, brings with it many questions including “where do I want to die and how will my care be managed”
Then there is the person diagnosed with a neurological degenerative disease such as dementia, that might be slow to progress and often requiring full time nursing care, until death. Once again many questions are raised with family members and carers about how will care be managed and can it be within the familiar home setting.
HELP is a practical guide for communities to support local people who wish to receive end-of-life care in their home, or community setting.
The goal of HELP is to create a sustainable collaborative local culture that attends to end-of-life needs for local residents.
Emerald Community House
Healthy End of Life Program (HELP)
Offering, asking for, and accepting help
Creating an End of Life Collaborative Community Culture in Emerald
Emerald Community House aims to build end of life community capacity and resilience in two ways:
By generating, in partnership with other community forums, public conversation, community discussion and skill sharing on the role of community at end of life.
By creating a community network of people with capacity to support other community members who wish to receive end of life care at home.
HELP invites community members to offer of themselves to be called upon to offer practical support for the person, enabling as best as possible, continuation of life with elements that previously gave purpose and meaning to the person’s life. There are no limits to practical support, be it mowing the lawns, changing a light globe or providing company.
The ‘other side of the coin’ is care and support for the person’s carer, often their partner, who is present ‘around the clock’ and who might appreciate an occasional break from what is often an enormously stressful and tiring situation.
The first Healthy End of Life Program (HELP); offering, asking for and accepting help was held and organised by the Emerald Community House in February 2017.
The gathering was attended by eight (8) local community members together with representatives from La Trobe University Palliative Care Unit and Eastern Metropolitan Region Palliative Care Consortium.
A subsequent and expanded gathering was convened in March. It is envisaged ongoing meetings will be held monthly throughout the year, as there is real interest and enthusiasm for community members ‘stepping up’ to enable those wishing to die at home, to realise their last wishes.
Contact: Chris Phillips
Mobile: 0407 060 069