Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual.
Palliative Care:
- provides relief from pain and other distressing symptoms;
- affirms life and regards dying as a normal process;
- intends neither to hasten or postpone death;
- integrates the psychological and spiritual aspects of patient care;
- uses a team approach to address the needs of patients and their families, including bereavement counselling, if indicated;
- will enhance quality of life, and may also positively influence the course of illness;
- is applicable early during illness, in conjunction with other therapies that are intended to prolong life, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy, and includes those investigations needed to better understand and manage distressing clinical complications.
- Palliative care for children is the active total care of the child’s body, mind and spirit, and involves giving support to the family.
- It begins when illness is diagnosed, and continues regardless of whether or not a child receives treatment directed at the disease.
- Health providers evaluate and alleviate a child’s physical, psychological, and social distress.
- Effective palliative care requires a broad multidisciplinary approach that includes the family and makes use of available community resources; it can be successfully implemented even if resources are limited.
WHAT IS PALLIATIVE CARE FOR CHILDREN?
Palliative care for children represents a special, albeit closely related field to adult palliative care.
World Health Organization’s (WHO) definition of palliative care appropriate for children and their
families is as follows; the principles apply to other paediatric chronic disorders (WHO; 1998a):
- Palliative care for children is the active total care of the child’s body, mind and spirit,
and also involves giving support to the family. - It begins when illness is diagnosed, and continues regardless of whether or not a child receives
treatment directed at the disease. - Health providers evaluate and alleviate a child’s physical, psychological, and social distress.
- Effective palliative care requires a broad multidisciplinary approach that includes the family and makes
use of available community resources; it can be successfully implemented even if resources are limited. - It can be provided in tertiary care facilities, in community health centres and even in children’s homes.
Who do we serve?
Knysna Sedgefield Hospice comes to you.
Our services are not restricted by race or social class or gender. Our patients will be found in suburbs and townships, from Wilderness through to Harkerville. They have only two things in common: they live in our area and they need our services.
Who is eligible for Care?
Anyone with a life – limiting illness, including but not limited to:
- HIV/AIDS
- Cancer
- Progressive neurological disorders
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
- End-stage cardiac, renal, respiratory, hepatic disorders
- Motor Neuron Disease (MDR)
- Children with chronic disorders
How do we work?
Our services are offered free of charge, but we do welcome donations to cover the cost of our services.
For those who are diagnosed with any life limiting illness, we offer a planning and consulting service. This provides practical experience and knowledge that help the individual manage their situation.
For patients with minor children, we will work with the patient, family and where appropriate social services, to ensure that an acceptable plan for the care of the children is in place.
How do I get referred?
Access to Hospice services as per the criteria in our mission statement can be done as follows:
- Referral by a private medical practitioner
- Referral by a clinic or provincial hospital
- Family or self referral with a complete medical history
- Palliative care patients will be contacted within 24 hours of referral. Chronic care patients will be contacted within a week of referral. In instances where the patient does not meet our referral criteria, we will suggest and facilitate alternative service providers.