National Palliative Care Week

Member for Bonner encourages everyone to make Palliative Care their business in 2013.

 

National Palliative Care Week is from 19 May to 25 May 2013 and during this period Palliative Care Australia wants to remind the community about the importance of palliative care with a special focus towards asking everyone to think about how they can make it their own business.

 

The current Senior Australian of the Year is Professor Ian Maddocks AM, who as an internationally recognised palliative care specialist, has been advocating for improved care for the dying since the 1980’s.

 

“Last year, the Senate Community Affairs Committee undertook a major inquiry into palliative care, which highlighted that palliative care will become an even more important component of aged care into the future”, said Member

 

“Amongst many of the issues raised, it became very clear in this inquiry that many people prefer to pass away at home.”

 

“As we look at aged care reform, we need to keep in mind ways that can appropriately respect the desire of those who wish to die at home in dignity,” said Member

 

“Palliative care patients deserve respect and dignity, and as a nation, we should be affording support to such people and their families,” said Member

 

For further information on National Palliative Care Week visit http://www.palliativecare.org.au/NationalPalliativeCareWeek.aspx