National Palliative Care Week

22 – 28 May 2016 is National Palliative Care Week.

The Palliative Care Council of South Australia (PCSA) is the peak body for palliative care in South Australia. The not for profit organisation is dedicated to supporting people living with terminal illness and those who care for them. Tracey Watters CEO, shared her organisation’s work and programs for the SAcommunity blog.

The one thing we all have in common with each other is that one day we will die – are you prepared?

For most of us, death conjures up strong feelings and we tend to project all kinds of fears onto it. We dismiss it, worry about it, laugh it off, push it aside or don’t think about it at all. Until we have to. Of course, death – our own, a friend’s, a family member’s – will arrive sooner or later, and when it does, we are forced to confront it, whether we like it or not.  Our tendency to think we will “beat the odds” often means that we are not properly prepared for death bringing with it consequences that often precedes a poor quality of death for many.  Taboo or not, death and dying are part of a conversation we all need to have if our values and wishes are to be understood and respected at the end of life.  In meeting this challenge Palliative Care SA offers education, resources and information about all aspects of dying, death and grief throughout the year. 

Say it forward: Advance Care Directives - informational sessions about the benefit of and how to complete an Advance Care Directive.

The PCSA Forums Program provides topic based presentations by local, national and international speakers.

Die-alogue Café community engagement program provides a pop-up café experience with death as the social topic of the morning.  This is a facilitated discussion group where no questions about illness, dying death and grief are off limits.

These activities are free to attend however registration is requested and can be made online at www.pallcare.asn.au (by clicking on the date on the events calendar on the home page).

-       Tracey Watters CEO, Palliative Care Council SA