Progress onpalliative care

It is being coordinated by the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC) which the Western Health and Social Care Trust (Western Trust) is supporting to encourage serious but positive conversations.

The aim is to raise a deeper public understanding of palliative care regarding when it can be used, who it is for and what its benefits are.

Palliative Care, or rather a palliative care approach, is a system of care that looks at much more than just medical need. It seeks to achieve the best possible quality of life for people with serious illness whilst caring for all aspects of the person - mind, body and spiritual.

A palliative care approach is beneficial for anyone with a non-curable illness, regardless of age or condition and also supports their family, friends and carers both during illness and afterwards. For the very best outcomes palliative care starts as early as possible and is suitable for a number of years, not just the weeks and days at the end of life.

A palliative care approach helps everyone with a non-curable disease. It helps a baby born with serious difficulties who is unlikely to survive, through to an older person facing advanced progressive conditions affecting their quality of life.

It helps a child or young person with a condition that will shorten or severely limit their lives and any adult facing conditions such as motor neurone disease, cancer or other advanced chronic disorders. Palliative care doesn’t just help the patient it also cares for family members and carers during the course of an illness and afterwards.

Alan Corry Finn Executive Director of Nursing/Director of Primary Care & Older People’s Services, Western Health and Social Care Trust said: “I am delighted to welcome the first ever all island Palliative Care Week.

“It is an opportunity to celebrate the progress which has been made within palliative care and to raise awareness and a greater public understanding of how a palliative care approach is beneficial for patients, carers and their families.

“It is important that we encourage conversations amongst the general public, patients, families, carers and health and social care professions”.

AIIHPC Director Paddie Blaney said: “A palliative care approach is beneficial for anyone with a non-curable illness, regardless of age or condition and also supports their family, friends and carers both during an illness and afterwards. For the very best outcomes palliative care starts as early as possible and is suitable for a number of years, not just the weeks and days at the end of life.”

To find out more information about Palliative Care visit: www.thepalliativehub.com