This week is National Palliative Care Week (NPCW) and the theme this year is, “Palliative Care…it’s more than you think”.
A common misconception about palliative care is that it is only about what happens at the end of someone’s life and is reserved for the elderly, but it is so much more than that.
Palliative care:
- is person and family-centred care.
- is for a person with an active, progressive or advanced disease.
- is for someone who has little or no prospect of cure and is expected to die.
- is fundamentally about optimising the quality of life for someone who is dying.
- considers the individual’s needs—both physical and mental.
- considers the needs of loved ones and carers.
— Palliative Care Australia
For NPCW, the folks at Palliative Care Australia have put together a series of stories highlighting heart-warming initiatives such as The Letter Box Project, and community volunteers like Nils Lantzke and his work with Alpaca Therapy. To read more you can visit the website here.
MV’s commitment to supporting palliative care in the ACT
In Canberra we are fortunate to have some wonderful palliative care providers, such as Clare Holland House, Palliative Care ACT and Cancer Council ACT. A large number of palliative carers are trained volunteers, who are supported and co-ordinated by health professionals such as doctors, nurses, social workers, psychologists, physiotherapists and others.
At MV Law we are very proud to be able to offer our wills and estate services to eligible clients of Cancer Council ACT through their Pro Bono Program. While there are also a number of other legal service providers who do this type of work (both private and government), we warn clients to be wary of undisclosed administration costs that might arise after they pass away
If you would like to know more about NPCW or palliative care generally, visit www.palliativecare.org.au
MV Law
estates@mvlawyers.com.au
02 6279 4444