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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1985-09-04, Page 14A14 — THE HURON EXPOSITOR, SEPTEMBER 4, 1985 Palliative care is a circle of support for dying BY LAURIE ERB (Part 4 of an 8 part series ) Palliative Care is a circle of support for the dying person and his or her family. It encompasses the patient, the family and the community in its scope; included are hospital staff, palliative care personnel (volunteers), community support services such as Public Health, Huron County Home Care, Victorian Order of Nurses, Town and Country Home- makers,. Meals on Wheels and Huron Unit Cancer Society, as well as community organizations, service groups, churches, funeral directors, friends and neighbors. Essential to the circle of support is communication and trust. It is on this pivot that the circle revolves; and as it turns, there is a blurring of roles and a blending of services to best fit the needs of the patient and the family. Care becomes a shared responsibility. The custom of families caring for their loved ones at home has been gradually replaced by modern technology and a pseudosocialized medical system, where even the poorest person can get a hospital bed and qualify for medical attention. Not for anything would I wish a system that would prevent a 'person without funds from receiving care. Canadians are lucky in this, respect, while many many people in the U.S.A., the most technologically advanced country in the world, go without necessary medical treatment because of the inability to pay for these services or for the insurance to cover same. In Canada seventy percent of all people who die, do so in hospital or other health care facilities. The twenty-five percent who do not are mostly sudden and unexpected deaths. Most people anticipating death from a terminal illness or a chronic condition would prefer to die at home if appropriate support were available to them and their families. Recent studies have shown that people with terminal illnesses who were cared for at home experienced more peace, comfort and dig- nify, and their families had less difficulty adjusting to the impending death, and experienced less grief or bereavement complications after the death of their loved one. One of the goals of palliative care is to keep the person with the terminal illness .xomfort- able in their own home as long as possible. At home, surrounded by personal belongings and pets, and cared for by family and friends, a person maintains his personal identities and roles. One old gentleman said to me one time "I spent three quarters of my life paying for and taking care of my home, only to die here and probably all by myself except for some very nice strangers. ' I thought how sad, especial- ly since this particular old gentleman, with just a little support, could have been at that home where he didn't require any specialized attention that could not be provided for there. In the two days that followed that conversa- tion, myself and his doctor, family and V.O.N. busied ourselves getting everything in order so that he could go home. I wish I could say he died at home, but he did not. Yes he was alone except fora very very nice nurse and me (nice strangers). We hadn't told him what we were planning, we had wanted to get everything ready, and surprise him. His family were quite willing, once they were made aware that the support would be there when they needed it. W e all wished we had told him what we were planning. Some people cannot stay at home because of the specialized intensive care that they need which can only be had in a hospital and in these cases every effort can be made to make the patient and the family as comfortable as possible. The key person in caring for the dying person at home is the family doctor. His willingness to make a house call if necessary and his vigilance in the management of pain and system control are of prime importance. He must also make the referral to the Home Care Program, in order that the family and the patient get all the support they need. While Palliative Care is a fairly new Melissa Manchester to appear at Stratford soon persons and their families program in Huron County, some of the principles have been practiced by the V.O. N. within the Huron County Home Care Program for a number of years. Also available through the Home Care Program are physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, enterostomal therapy and a social worker, Also, when required, Huron County, Home Care will supply sick room equipment and supplies, drugs, transporta- tion, Meals on Wheels, oxygen and equip- ment, and laboratory services. Services to eligible patients are funded by the Ministry of Health through the Huron County Health Care Unit. While Home Care is a short term active treatment program, their policy is that no patient with a terminal illness will be discharged from the program unless their condition stabilizes. The criteria to be admitted to the program is that the patient needs professional services, however, they Melissa Manchester, originally scheduled to appear in concert at the Stratford Festival Theatre on July 15, will now appear September 9 at the Festival. Miss Manchest- er was forced to cancel her July engagement because of commitments in the recording studio. The proposed re -scheduling of the Dionne Warwick concert ^riginally booked for August 5 in no longer under consideration. Illness forced postponement of the August engagement and, for the past two weeks, there have been extensive discussions between Festival negotiators and Ben Bern- stein of Triad Artists, representatives for Miss Warwick. Every effort was made to re -schedule Dionne Warwick but the ar- rangements could not be finalized. "It's one of those good news -bad news situations," said Festival Executive Director Gerry Eldred today. "The good news, of course, is the timely availability of Melissa Manchester for September 9. The bad news is the necessity to cancel the Dionne Warwick concert." "The problem was that health problems forced the postponement' and re -scheduling of many of Miss Warwick's late July and early August engagements. Because she already had several bookings confirmed for Septem- ber, it became impossible for us to find a mutually satisfactory date. W e are absolutely delighted, however, to have this opportunity to present Miss Manchester in September." Tickets for the August 5 Dionne Warwick concert will be honoured at the September 9 Melissa Manchester engagement. Those not wishing to use their Dionne Warwick tickets in that manner are entitled to either a full refund or exchanges to another Festival concert or production this season, can also provide homemaking services if this additional support is deemed necessary. Since there is a limit on the number of homemaking hours which are funded by OHIP, additional funding is sometimes available from the Cancer Society, and if a family so desires, services from the V.O.N. and the homemaker service can also be purchased privately. Where, with all the above, does the Palliative Care volunteer fit in, especially if a patient were receiving three or four of the services provided by Home Care? Home Care professionals except for the V.O.N. who are on call 24 hours, is basically a Monday' to Friday, 9 to 5 operation. Oftentimes the family might want an evening out, but not want to leave their sick family member alone, and other relatives are not available, A Palliative Care volunteer can fill the order. Sometimes the patient or a family member or both simply need a confidential • person (friend) to lean on. Palliative Care volunteers can often help the family and the patient make the most ofthe precious time left. The Home Care professionals have many many patients to see in any given day and must stick at least loosely to a schedule and they are sometimes frustrated because they are unable to sit and visit at some crucial moment. However, a Palliative Care volun- teer has only a few patients at any given time and he or she is supported by, the other volunteers in the case of an emergency. The Palliative Care volunteers, are espe- cially trained in most aspects of death and dying 'and add to this training their own unique experiences. They can become a friend and confidant if time allows, or simply, a blessed relief to the family if the time is short. The main purpose of the palliative care volunteer, is to help everyone concerned and especially the patient, be as comfortable and as stress free as possible so that everyone gains from the experience, from helping, caring and loving. The volunteer will remain available on a friendly basis after the death, if any family member feels the need of an understanding person who understands what he or she has just been through. Would you like to be a part of the Palliative Care team? Maybe you feel that you would like to, but might not feel capable of handling the situation. Maybe you have had some personal experiences that could help others. Why not plan to attend the workshops to be held at the hospital in October. Attenddnce at the workshop does not oblige you in any way to become a volunteer, but could enhance your personal understanding and compassion for future personal situations. If you are interested please call Laurie Erb at 527-1650 for more information. The success or failure of the Palliative Care program in your community and the friends, well being of your own family, relatives or neighbors, could someday rest with you. Why not take time and call now. PRICES IN EFFECT SEPT. 4 TO SEPT. 7 FROM 'A' GRADE BEEF 3.04/,kg SORT RIB ROAST 1.381b. BONELESS CROSS CUT RIB 4.14/kg ROASTS or STEAKS 1.881b. FRESH MEATY 1.08/kg HOCKS 49t. BONELESS RIB EYE 13.21 /kg . orOSTEAKS 3.99b. SCHNEIDERS PREY. FROZEN 1,98/kg SLICED BEEF LIVER 89#. CUT FROM 'A' GRADE BEEF BCNELESS BLADE ROAST OR STEAK BURNS PORK or BEEF LSAUSAGE 149b. ZBW BOLOGNA, MOCK,CHICKEN or 3.28/kg MEAT CHUNKS 1.49b. 3.28/kg PILLERS CHICKEN BOLOGNA OR 375 9 CHICKEN LOAF 1.19 SCHNEIDERS LIFESTYLE 125 g 5 VARIETIES TURKEY MEATS 1.S 3.48 /kg MARINATE FOR THE BAR -BA BLADE STEAKS MAPLE LEAF 750 g PKG. BEEF BURGERS 179 WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT PURCHASES TO REASONABLE WEEKLY FAMILY REQUIREMENTS SHORT GRAINED CROSS CUT RIB ROAST OR STEAK 3 70/kg 1681b NO WASTE BONELESS STEWING BEEF 1.99b ECONOMICAL ~� NEW ZEALAND FROIEN 6 59/kg LOIN LAMB ZASA CHOPS • Ib 4 39/kg DELICATELY SMOKED 540 B SCHNEIDERS COUNTRY GRILL :.MOKED SAUSAGE 3.29 MAKE YOUR OWN PIZZA 300 g PEPPERONIS3.39 READY TO COOK MAPLE LEAF BRISKET 5.27/kg CORNED BEEF 2• Ib. MAPLE LEAF STORE SLICED ,� EXTRA LEAN COOKED HAM 5.49/kg f.49w SCHNEIDERS ILUE RIBBON RIO. OR REEF SLICEO'BOLOGNA s.3s/kg ?• 71k DWI STORE SLICED ROAST PORK i1.00/kg 4.99„ SROVSYS SPANISH SALAD 0R ♦* CREAMY COLESLAW 3.28/kg (• 7 is STORE MADE LARGE DELUXE PIZZA 14 MAPLE LEAF 175 g EKED HAM 1.69 ZIOGYS GLAZED 500 9 2 VARIETIES LIVER PATE NO NAME 250 g SUMMER SAUSAGE or SLICED SALAMI 1.0 MO NAME FRESH 503 g NOT OR SWEET ITALIAN ASAUSAGE I ARS. 99 FAMILY PACKS R5" Mg TIFF SWEET & SOUR SIDE RIBS CHICKEN THIGHS OR DRUMSTICKS CRANBERRY COCKTAIL CRANGRAPE, CRANTASTIC, OCEAN SPRAY 3's JELL-O INSTANT PUDDING ASSTD. FLAVOURS VARIOUS SIZES 59# ROBIN HOOD AU. PURPOSE FLOUR 2s kg 2.89 225 g PKG. REG. FILTER, AUTO. MAXWELL HOUSE ROASTED COFFEE 369 g PKG. TODDLERS - DAYTIME • NEWBORN HUGGIES DIAPERS UNITS A VARIETIES CANNED A9t VEGETABLES I12 0 , r BETTY CROONER ASsrD.vAR An HAMBURGER HELPER Liz UNCIA VARIOUS SUES EGG NOODLES 215 9 BRAVO VEG. OIL ' ' E f 99 WILLIES CHILI SAUCE OR RELISHES 379 ml I.19 N.D. LAUNDRY DETERGENT ARM & HAMMER LITRE. IT WINDOW CLEANER WINDEX REFILL m00 1.39 TANG ASSTD FLAVOUR CRYSTALS VARIOUS 99F 79# RED ROSE O.P. 120'i TEA BAGS 454 9 S.9 WELCIIS CONCORD OR WNRF GRAPE JUICE I LITRE ails BRAVO PLAIN (GLASS) An SPAG. SAUCE Iso n 1.s BRAVO MEAT OR MUSRROOtlt SPAG. SAUCE 'so 'r9. 1.Ii PER PKG.