HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance-Times, 1984-03-26, Page 42HOPE Page 13
Palliative Care Service helps terminally ill
BY JOANNE BUCHANAN '
A few years ago while Connie Osborn of
Goderich Township was researching a
university project on the terminally ill, she
discovered the need for a palliative care
service in the area.
With the encouragement 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.
__--Vo iieers- receive eight—three-hour—
training
ight thr our --
training sessions twice a year. These
sessions cover all aspects of death and dying
Connie Osborn watches Michael Owen on video-tape
and how the palliative care service works. A
psychology test is given in the first session
to examine the volunteers' attitudes
towards death and dying.
The palliative care service is hospital
based and free of charge. It offers daily
visiting in hospital; some home visits;
bereavement follow-up; and 24-hour
emergency on-call service for family
support in life threatening situations.
Mrs. Osborn says the palliative care
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
hosbuilding outside the hospital with a home-
like atmosphere where terminally ill
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 keep the patient in
his own home as long as possible).
"Michael Owen was exceptional because
he had accepted his illness and impending
death. He was interested 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 how he coped with the
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 own environment," he says.
His faith as a Roman Catholic helped
sustain him and he says the quality of his life
became more important than the 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 function as long as he or she
can, even if it means simple things like
paying 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 its well.
Two months after Mr. Owen died,
Alexandra Marine and General Hospital in
Goderich received 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
P;e1.a.#.sg1� ull then e1d Ss.A-fe l �9�9r*v` i —
then be submitted to the government in
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 let -down 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 t4 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 rush into
them.
Someone who is not too close t� 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 over with experts.
Having a job or doing voluntary work in
the community can be helpful when you are
ready but it is important not 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:
THE BURKLEY
RESTAURANT AND TAVERN
312 MAIN ST., EXETER 235-1 730
t
MtCHAEL_P._O 'C(1NNOR F
BONTHRON CHAPEL
118 KING STREET
HENSALL, ONTARIO
NOM 1X0
TELEPHONE 282-2211
UNERAL HOMES
WESTLAKE CHAPEL
49 GOSHEN STREET, N.
ZURICH, ONTARIO
NOM 2T0
TELEPHONE 238-4365
FUNERAL HOME
PHONES STORE 235-1990. FUNERAL HOME 235 1220
� vss 322 Mak, 8
a— neigiet
emitter ExertOnteeio
NOM 980
11.1raa.l .n Ow Old Town Halh
TOLL FREE 1-800-265-7022 EXETER AREA 235-2090
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