Living as well as possible for as long as possible

LOOKING after loved ones and those looking after them have been themes raised during National Palliative Care Week.

Before Shirley Richards’ husband died from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), she benefited from services Ballarat Hospice Care was able to provide.

One instance of this was when Shirley rang the service at 1.30am. She posed a question to one of the organisation’s nurses about her husband’s oxygen.

“[The nurse said] ‘I’ll be there in 10 minutes’…and she was,” Richards said.

The nurse arrived and phoned an ambulance.

“She took control of that and me because I was really stressed,” she said. “It was during COVID, so I wasn’t allowed to go with him to the hospital and all that.

“She stayed with me until 3am, made me a cup of tea and just calmed me down, really.

“But that was the kind of care that they provided to me, and to my husband.”

Shirley said she felt supported in their care.

She is one of Ballarat Hospice Care Op Shop’s volunteers who have been sparking conversation during National Palliative Care Week.

As part of the week, the organisation has hosted a range of events and activities, which included an information session at Grampians Health Ballarat Cancer Wellness Centre on Wednesday 11 May.

Katherine Brumby, Ballarat Hospice Care’s operations manager, said palliative care was about living as well as possible for as long as possible.

“By starting conversations earlier, people feel more confident, supported and informed about their options,” she said. More information at palliativecare.org.au