The All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC ) is calling upon people in Westmeath to learn more about the benefits of palliative care as part of Palliative Care Week. Now in its seventh year, Palliative Care Week takes place from the September 13-19 inclusive.
Palliative Care Week aims to raise awareness throughout the island of Ireland about the positive difference palliative care can make to people with life-limiting conditions, their carers and their families.
This year’s theme is ‘Palliative Care: In This Together’. In these extraordinary times, this reflects the community response to Covid-19 but also the range of supports mobilized by health and social care professionals, and the wider community, to help people with palliative care needs and their loved ones to live as well as possible.
This personalised network of support can involve a broad range of professionals from primary care (such as GP’s and public health nurses ), support from family and friends and the wider community, and support at home, in hospitals, nursing homes and hospices. The support is for all ages and life-limiting conditions and can be for days, weeks or years.
“Palliative care improves the lives of those living with a life-limiting illness and those who matter to them. It puts the individual at the centre of care and supports their physical, social, psychological and spiritual health needs. We’ve all seen this year how something like Covid-19 has brought out the best in people, especially in our communities, and while we can’t hold events to mark Palliative Care Week 2020 we hope we can reignite some of that community spirit to help those closest to us to get better informed about palliative care and its benefits.
“Ultimately, we want as many people as possible in Westmeath to have a greater understanding of palliative care. So if people can help by sharing this knowledge or the Palliative Care Week leaflet, or even by sharing their story on social media, together we can help to remove any stigmas or misconceptions about palliative care.
“We might need to remain socially distant for some time to come but we can still feel close to our family and friends by having conversations about things like palliative care and understanding each other’s future care wishes,” Karen Charnley, AIIHPC Director, said.
To get informed:
Visit thepalliativehub.com/public-awareness to find out more about palliative care and Palliative Care Week 2020 and test your knowledge of palliative care by taking a short True or False quiz
Talk to your GP or any healthcare or social care professional about palliative care and its benefits.
For those with an interest in promoting a better understanding of palliative care:
Download the leaflet from thepalliativehub.com/public-awareness and share it with your family, friends, colleagues, fellow members of local groups, or your online community
Talk to your family and share your wishes in the event that you have palliative care needs in the future, and encourage others to do the same
Share your own palliative care experience story on social media during Palliative Care Week 2020 using #pallcareweek.
AIIHPC is encouraging people to get informed and to share this information with their family and friends, and any local groups they are in, during Palliative Care Week.
