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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1984-03-28, Page 37HOPE Page 13 Palliative Care Service helps terminally ill BY JOANNE BUCHANAN A few years ago while Connie Osborn of Goderich Township was researching a -universityp oject'on the terminally ill, -she discovered -the need for a palliative care-- service in thear-ea. With theencouragement of Goderich hospital administrator Elmer Taylor, Mrs. Osborn began to co-ordinate such a service at the hospital in March of 1982. She now has 13 volunteers and .has received six referrals to the service since it began, many of them cancer patients. However, the . largest percentage of the work has involved home visiting for. the bereaved. Palliative care .involves a team effort - doctors, nurses, dieticians, volunteers and others -to meet the needs of patients for whom treatment aimed at -cure is no longer possible (the terminally ill and long term disabled). Therapy centers on enhancing the quality of remaining life; focusing on pain management and symptom control; and psychological, spiritual and personal growth. Mrs. Osborn says the basis of palliative care is good pain management. The patient's doctor prescribes drugs which reduce the pain to a tolerable level while at the same time allowing him to remain alert. Once the pain is under control, palliative care volunteers can give social, psychological and spiritual support where needed. The volunteers are not to replace the patient's family but to supplement this support (they are of special value when the patient has no family nearby or no family at all). "The volunteers must .build 'a relationship of trust with the patient and pay attention to all the little details of comfort which they can give. This helps buy the patient time to get- his house in order," explains Mrs. Osborn. Volunteers work with the families of terminally ill patients too, both before and after those patients have died. They must be empathetic and tactful as well as being good listeners, says Mrs. Osborn. Volunteers receive eight three-hour Connie Osborn watches Michael Owen on video-tape and how the palliative care service works. A psychology test is given ip thefirstsession to examine the volunteers' attitudes towards death and dying. The palliative care service is hospital based and free of charge. It offers daily visiting inhospital; some home visits; bereavement follow-up; and 24-hour emergency on-call service for , family support in life threatening situations. MICHAEL OWEN training sessions -.:.twice :a-- year -These- Mrs _ -Osborn- says -,1 -he -pa Native-. ears- sessions cover all aspects of death and dying service has dealt with patients of all ages. "All of the patients have been exceptional people. They have been very accepting of their impending deaths and, have given strength to those around them," she says. One particular patient whom Mrs. Osborn would like to mention is Michael Owen of Bayfield. He died of cancer at the age of 53 on September 12, 1983. As well as being a patient who used the service, Mr. Owen also became a volunteer and his dream was to see the development of a free standing hospice . in Goderich. This would be a building outside the: hospital with a home--- like ° atmosphere . *here. .terminally patients could go once it was no longer feasible for them to remain in their own homes (a primary goal of palliative care and hospice .service is .to keepp...�the patient in his ovMhomeas limo as possible). _ "Michael -Men" was exceptional because • he had' accepted his :illness and "imppeending death. He was mterested in the quality of his remaining days. He became a volunteer with the palliative care service and he pushed for a hospice here," explains Mrs. Osborn. Before he died, Mr. Owen allowed himself to be video-taped. On this tape, he talks about his feelings' after he learned he had _ _ .cancer_ _ and. _haw --he._ _coped._ knowledge that he only had six months to live. Mrs. Osborn plans to show the tape to palliative care volunteers as part of their • training. On the tape, Mr. Owen says that .people - who are dying are no different from anyone else. "Our whole life is built up to dying. It is the only one certainty in our lives," he states. After he learned he had cancer, Mr. Owen says his first reaction was to go home. "I had to be in my t wn environment," he says. His faith as a Roman Catholic helped sustain him and he says the quality of his life became more important thanthe quantity. Mr. Owen tells palliative care volunteers not to force themselves on any patient who doesn't want to talk to them. He says the patient is the most important person and ---usually wants-to-functicn-as-long-as he orshe-_._ can, even if it means simple things like pa the bills. He says he would like to see a hospice in every town the size of Goderich or Exeter. A hospice would ,not only help the dying person, but that person's family as well. Two months after Mr. Owen died, Alexandra Marine and General Hospital in Goderich reeeived a Federal Government grant of $17,090 to assess the need for a free- standing hospice in Goderich. Surveys are now being conducted with • health professionals, the bereaved and' the . terminally ill themselves. A final report will -then be .submitted to. -the.government. - -April. Dealing with grief after death of a loved one The word cancer should not be synonomous with the word death. There is always HOPE. But sometimes people do die of cancer and their loved ones must learn how to cope with the loss. , The bereaved cannot and should not be ignored. ' If you have lost a family member or friend through death, you will go through a mourning period. Here are some ways to deal with.grief: , PSYCHOLOGICAL Everyone needs some help -don't be afraid to accept it. While you may feel pressured to put on a brave front, it is, important to make your needs known by expressing your feelings to those you trust. Often numbness sees one through the first few days or weeks. Don't be too surprised if a letdown comes later. Many people are more emotionally upset during bereavement than at any other time in their lives and are frightened by this. Be 'aware that severe upset is not unusual and if you are alarmed, seek a professional opinion. Whether you feel you need to be alone or accompanied, make it known. Needing company is common and does not mean you will always be dependent on it. There is no set time limit for grieving. It varies from person to person, depending on individual circumstances. PHYSICAL It is easy to neglect yourself because you don't much care at a time of grief. You are under great stress and may be more susceptible to disease. It' is especially important not to neglect your health. Try to eat reasonably even if there is no enjoyment in it Although sleep may be disturbed, try to get adequate rest. If you have symptoms, get a doctor to check them out. If people urge 'you to see your doctor, do so even if it doesn't make sense to you at the time. ' SOCIAL Friends and family are often ----most available early in bereavement and less so later. It is important to be able to reach out. ' to them when you need them. Don't wait for them to guess your needs. They will often guess incorrectly and too late. During a period of 'grief, it can be difficult to judge new relationships. Don't be afraid of them, yet it is usually wise not to rushinto them. - Someone who is not too close to you but who is willing to listen may be particularly helpful. No one will substitute for your loss. Try to enjoy people as they are. Do not avoid social contacts because of the' imperfections in those you meet. Sometimes, in an effort to stop the pain of grief, people turn towards replacing the lost person (i.e.: adoption of a child, remarriage) too soon. It is hard, though, to see new relationships objectively if you are still actively grieving and this kind of solution may only lead to other problems. Try to make clear to children that sadness is perfectly normal and that neither theirs nor yours needs to be hidden. It is important that periods-: of .happiness. -are -enjoyed and are not a cause of guilty feelings. ECONOMIC Avoid hasty decisions. Try not to make major life decisions within the first year unless absolutely necessary. In general, most people find it best to remain settled in familiar surroundings until they can consider their future calmly. Don't be afraid to seek good advice. Usually it is wise to get more than one opinion before making decisions. Don't make any major financial decisions without talking them overwith experts. Having a job or doing voluntary work in the community can be helpful when you are ready but it isimportantnot to overextend yourself. A job will not fulfill all your needs and you should not turn to excessive involvement in work. Relationships with family and friends should not be sacrificed in an effort to keep busy. SPIRITUAL Personal .faith is frequently a major source of comfort during bereavement. For some, however, maintaining' faith may be difficult during this period of loss. Either reaction may occur, and both'are consistant with later spiritual growth. This information is brought to you with the kind co-operation of the following: FUNERAL HOME PHONES STORE 235 1990. 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