Dying made more comfortable
As the end of National Palliative Care Week nears, good news has come with the announcement of $8.6 million in funding to improve palliative care support and services for patients, their families and carers.
As the end of National Palliative Care Week nears, good news has come with the announcement of $8.6 million in funding to improve palliative care support and services for patients, their families and carers.
The funding was announced by Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler, at the launch of National Palliative Care Week in Canberra yesterday (Thursday, 26 May 2011).
Palliative Care Australia (PCA) will receive up to $3 million in funding to purchase new specialised palliative care equipment.
Equipment may include 200 electronic beds and pressure care mattresses, or 2000 wheelchairs or 300 hoists and slings.
PCA chief executive officer, Dr Yvonne Luxford, spoke to DPS Publishing after the conference ended, and said that the funding would “greatly improve people’s access to specialised equipment, enabling them to live at home”.
Dr Luxford said the latest funding supports PCA’s recent survey, which revealed 74% of people who have thought about dying prefer to die at home.
“This funding will now provide much greater support for people to die at home, and within their community,” she said.
An additional $5.6 million in grants of up to $150,000 will be provided to 81 community groups, health and aged care providers, and charitable organisations.
The Local Palliative Care Grants Program is just one component of the government’s commitment to improve palliative care support and services.
The government provides more than $23 million to the National Palliative Care Program.
