Hospice Plett eases end of life journey
While Hospice Plett stepped up to the plate to play a role in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, few residents know the extent of the work the team does behind the scenes.
This non-profit organisation has a multidisciplinary team of palliative-care specialists that provides palliative care to people living with life-limiting or life-threatening illnesses, either at patients’ homes or as a consultative service to hospitals and doctors.
Hospice Plett chief executive Cecily van Heerden explained that palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families when facing a life-threatening illness. ‘Palliative care is holistic care, as it is a comprehensive approach of caring for the whole person, including their families. At Hospice Plett we aim to thoroughly assess the physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs of the patient and family,” she said.
They address the individual needs of a patient in a caring and compassionate way and provide relief from pain and other distressing symptoms. They aim to maximise patients’ quality of life by offering a support system to help them live as positively and actively as possible. Support is also given to the family at diagnosis of a loved one’s condition and continues through to bereavement.
Psychosocial and clinical assistance
When dealing with bereavement, Van Heerden said, the psychosocial team is experienced and prepared to work with sadness, anxiety and fears from the family members about how they will cope. “Each person’s end-of-life journey will be unique and it is important to provide care that is culturally and spiritually sensitive.”
She further explained that their clinical social worker, Annesta Hofer, and professional nurse, Edward Muchenje, along with their team of trained and experienced home-based carers, are the drivers behind this. “These two specialists work with palliative-care plans, which are developed after diagnoses and are seen as a holistic assessment. Advanced care plans, that depend on the stages of illness, and terminal care plans that provide care in the last 48 hours of life (which is referred to as the terminal phase of the patient’s life,) receives detailed attention.”
Both Muchenje and Hofer said that they never consider what they do as “a job” or “work to be done”. “This is our passion, our purpose and our destinies in life. Each day we deliver a service to those who need us the most and we feel honoured to walk alongside the end-of-life journey, where so many lessons can be learned and compassion can be observed,” the two said.
For more information, contact Van Heerden on 044 533 5616 or e-mail info@plettaid.org.
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Source: Knysna Plett Herald News