Palliative
Care and Support
The Challenge
- Medical Complexity
Providing palliative support at home can be challenging due to the complex medical needs of individuals in palliative care. Managing pain, administering medications, handling specialized equipment, and addressing symptoms require a high level of expertise and coordination with healthcare professionals.
- Emotional and Psychological Support
Caring for a loved one in palliative care can take an emotional toll on family members. Witnessing the decline in health, managing end-of-life conversations, and dealing with grief and loss can be emotionally challenging. Providing the necessary emotional and psychological support requires strength, resilience, and access to resources such as counselling or support groups.
- 24-Hour Care and Monitoring
Palliative care often requires round-the-clock care and monitoring, which can be demanding for family members to handle alone. The need for constant supervision, assistance with personal care, medication management, and addressing changing symptoms can be physically and mentally exhausting, potentially leading to caregiver burnout.
- Decision-Making and Guilt
Choosing between keeping a loved one in their own home or placing them into a residential care facility can be a difficult decision. Family members may grapple with feelings of guilt or uncertainty about what is best for their loved one. Balancing the desire to honour their wishes, maintain a familiar environment, and ensure access to specialized care and support can create emotional and ethical dilemmas.
These challenges highlight the complexities faced by family members seeking palliative support, especially when deciding between home care and a residential care facility. It is important for individuals to seek support from healthcare professionals, palliative care organizations, and counselling services to navigate these challenges and make informed decisions that prioritize the comfort, well-being, and dignity of their loved ones.
How Can We Assist?
At The Good Companion, we understand the importance of delivering dignified, quality, and affordable palliative care to your loved ones. We believe in a partnership approach that involves collaborating closely with families, hospice care services, and other stakeholders to ensure the highest level of support throughout the end-of-life journey.
- Our Partnership with Families
We recognize that families play a crucial role in providing care and support to their loved ones. Our team works closely with you, involving you in the care planning process and understanding your loved one’s unique needs, preferences, and goals. We provide training and support to empower family members to participate in personal care tasks while preserving your loved one’s dignity. Our skilled nursing professionals offer their expertise, working hand-in-hand with the family to ensure open communication and coordination in delivering the necessary medical care.
- Collaboration with Hospice Care Services
We value the collaboration with hospice care services, as we believe that a comprehensive approach is essential to address all aspects of palliative care. Our partnership involves establishing strong communication channels to exchange information, share care plans, and provide updates. Together with the hospice care team, we work towards enhancing the quality of life of your loved one. Our daytime care services provide companionship, emotional support, and assistance with daily activities, while our overnight care ensures safety and comfort during nighttime hours. We coordinate closely with the hospice care team, responding promptly to any changes in the client’s condition and providing holistic support.
- Collaboration with Other Stakeholders
We recognize the importance of connecting families with community resources and support networks. We offer an optional nursing oversight role for clients with advanced medical care needs, providing remote or onsite visits by a registered nurse to ensure the highest quality of care, coordination, and ongoing support.
At The Good Companion, our partnership approach aims to deliver dignified, quality, and affordable palliative care. We prioritize open communication, collaboration, and coordination among all stakeholders involved, ensuring that your loved one receives the utmost comfort, support, and respect throughout their end-of-life journey. We invite you to explore our website and reach out to us for more information on how we can assist you and your family during this critical time.
Palliative Care Service
For clients with Palliative Care needs, The Good Companion are able to provide skilled, compassionate and mature care staff who have been trained through the Australian Healthcare and Hospitals Association (AHHA) Palliative Care Course. Many of our care staff also have practical Palliative Care experience.
Care staff will be supported by the virtual oversight of a Good Companion Registered Nurse who has extensive Palliative Care experience.
To meet the requirements of the client and their support system, we offer a variety of care packages:
- 24hr care
- Daytime hourly care
- Overnight care
- Combination Daytime/Overnight
- Short-term respite
Our services extend to support our client’s family and loved ones and include grief and bereavement support following end of life.
Palliative Care Overview
Palliative care is a specialised service, available to those who reach the stage where a condition is no longer treatable. A person may receive palliative care for days, weeks, months or in some cases, years. Palliative care is available as soon as you first learn of your condition and continues to include end of life care.
One of the fundamentals of palliative care, is the right of the person receiving care to make informed choices, in their own time, about the care they receive and the environment in which they receive it. Many of those in need of palliative care, choose to remain and be cared for within their own homes. The Good Companion have the expert capabilities to facilitate palliative care within the community.
Next Steps
Schedule a Consultation:
Take the first step by scheduling a consultation with The Good Companion. Contact our team to discuss your specific needs, preferences, and the level of care required for your loved one. Our knowledgeable staff will guide you through the process, answer your questions, and provide personalized recommendations tailored to your unique situation.
Personalized Assessment:
During the consultation, The Good Companion will conduct a personalized assessment of your loved one’s care needs. Our experienced professionals will evaluate their medical condition, mobility, personal care requirements, emotional well-being, and any other factors relevant to their care. This assessment helps us create a comprehensive care plan that aligns with their individual needs.
Caregiver Selection Process:
Based on the assessment and your loved one’s preferences, The Good Companion will carefully match a qualified and compassionate live-in caregiver to provide round-the-clock support. Our thorough caregiver selection process ensures compatibility, professionalism, and a supportive caregiving relationship. We prioritize finding the right caregiver who can offer personalized care and companionship.
Care Plan Development:
Once a caregiver is assigned, The Good Companion will work with you and your loved one to develop a detailed care plan. This plan outlines the specific tasks, routines, medication management, and other aspects of care to ensure that all needs are met consistently. We encourage active participation from clients and their families in developing the care plan to ensure it reflects their preferences and priorities.
Regular Monitoring and Communication:
The Good Companion believes in ongoing monitoring and communication to ensure the highest quality of care. We maintain regular contact with you, your loved one, and the assigned caregiver to address any concerns, make necessary adjustments to the care plan, and ensure that the level of support remains appropriate over time. We value your feedback and encourage open communication to provide the best possible care experience.
Our Role in the Multidisciplinary Team
A palliative care team consists of a network of primary and community care providers. Each member of the palliative care team work together to ensure that the physical, psychological, social and cultural needs of the client are met and to help you manage your life-limiting illness.
The Good Companion aim to deliver person-centred and coordinated care and support, alongside other members of the client’s team.
Additional Information
Range of services: The Good Companion offers a wide range of in-home care services, including assistance with daily activities, medication management, companionship, and specialized care for conditions like dementia or Parkinson’s.
Flexible scheduling: The organization provides flexible scheduling options, allowing families to choose the hours and frequency of care that best suit their needs.
Regular communication: The Good Companion maintains regular communication with families to ensure ongoing satisfaction and address any concerns or changes in care requirements.
Client-centered approach: The organization focuses on individualized care, tailoring services to the unique preferences and goals of each client.
Continuity of care: The Good Companion strives to maintain consistency in caregivers, promoting a familiar and trusting relationship between the caregiver and your loved one.
Advance Care Planning
Palliative Care is a person-centred approach, focussing on what is most important to the family, including the needs of their family. Using this approach will mean that each person’s care plan will be developed in line with their unique situation and needs.
Advance Care Planning is a valuable tool that allows care delivery to be centred around a person’s priorities for care, as well as facilitating autonomy over decisions in line with their wishes, values and preferences. An important component of Advance Care Planning is that it evolves with the person’s needs and is regularly reviewed – this will be the role of a Good Companion Registered Nursing, experienced in Palliative Care.
Advance Care Planning extends to include the wishes and needs of a person’s loved ones, and if executed correctly, will strengthen the relationship between a person’s wishes and the care they receive, as they ultimately approach the end of their life.
A Good Companion Registered Nurse will develop a unique Advance Care Plan for each client and their support system, allowing us to offer care delivery specifically to meet their evolving needs, in real time.
An Advance Care Plan will extend to include the wishes and needs of a palliative person’s loved ones one they pass. This includes support throughout the grief and bereavement period.
Role of the TGCA Carer
Carers are often referred to as the unsung hero of palliative care and their role within the palliative care team, is crucial.
Under the supervision of a Good Companion Registered Nurse, our care staff will follow an Advance Care Plan, developed specifically to support the client’s daily life, wellness and dignity. We pride ourselves on our ability to meet the evolving needs and personal priorities for individualised care of each of our clients.
A Good Companion Registered Nurse will provide clinical leadership and support to the The Good Companion care team, including the skill to utilise specific tools to recognise condition deterioration, symptom progression and pain assessments.
All care and attendance will be documented in the care plan.
Carers are the one member of the palliative care team that assist with the everyday tasks a client may find too difficult, easing the burden on family members and allowing them to remain in the comfort of their own home for as long as possible. With compassion and empathy, a Good Companion Carer will support a client and their loved ones through:
Personal cares and toileting Maintaining comfort and dignity Companionship and emotional support
Administer basic medication (blister pack only)
Meal preparation and assistance feeding Refreshing linen and other household duties
Role of the TGCA Registered Nurse
A Good Companionon Registered Nurse will be available for oversight of care staff; and depending on your region, this will be either remotely or practically. A Good Companionon Registered Nurse will:
- Ensure carers have complete necessary trainings and competencies
- Develop and update client specific care plans Assess and advise carers of relevant protocols Liaise and communicate with other members of the multidisciplinary team, to promote a holistic approach
- Assist carer with complex care as required (not available remotely)
- Refresh patches (not available remotely)
- Assist with complex clinical care (not available remotely)
Call us today
We’d love to hear from you! Reach out to us at:
What other clients think of The Good Companion Australia
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“I wanted to drop a special thank you to you and your team for helping us through dads last days. You were so helpful from the get go! Aunty Vicky and Aunty Val were both amazing and a great support to us as well as dad.
Vicky was excellent with dad, especially in the early days when he was still semi mobile. She is easy going and just went with whatever dad wanted to do.
Val was also amazing, more so in the latter days dad went downhill. Her medical knowledge, ability to talk to the doctor and nurses was a real help.
I would recommend them both and also the Good Companion service to anyone, and have done! Even Hospice have asked for your details as they found both of the girls great to work with. Thank you once again for being there in our time of need.”