Last Days, a HammondCare program designed to help people with “knowledge and tools to navigate a person’s last days”was launched in February and is now taking registrations from people in the community.
Last Days provides “practical and effective education to improve knowledge and confidence for those caring for someone in their last days, weeks or months of life,” said Dr Andrew Montague, General Manager of Health and Palliative Care.
HammondCare has built an impressive reputation in NSW for its palliative care work at palliative care hospitals such as Neringah Hospital Wahroonga, Greenwich Hospital Greenwich and Braeside Hospital in Fairfield.
“But our Last Days Program is designed to reach people with more of a community education focus, and given its also delivered online, anyone will be able to access,” said Dr Montague.
Clinical Nurse palliative care specialist Rachael Zielinski, is one of the HammondCare experts who developed the program and she will be one of the presenters.
Death and dying is the elephant in the room.
“Death and dying is the elephant in the room – and one of the last taboos,” said Rachael.
And new since the 2020-21 pilot, Last Days will also offer practical tools and information to support family and friends of someone with dementia, during the last phase of life, grief and bereavement.
HammondCare is interested in talking with health, community and aged care organisations who would like to collaborate on delivery of the program to people they support.
To register for the Last Days program, follow this link:
https://www.hammond.com.au/palliative-centre/last-days-program
To read Rachael’s story about working with Helen, living at home with a life-limiting illness, go to:
HammondCare CEO Mike Baird shared his thoughts about improving palliative care in this previous Good Grief! article. https://good-grief.com.au/dont-waste-perrottets-743-million-palliative-care-spend/