HammondCare host forum on realities of death and palliative care in Mona Vale

A special forum has been organised to give northern beaches’ locals tips on ensuring a “good death” and those wanting to learn more about the “practical side of dying”.

Palliative care clinical nurse consultant, Suzanne Sara, will be a key speaker at a Mona Vale forum on death and dying. Picture: Cassandre Varella-Chang

A special forum about the “practical side of dying” and ensuring a “good death” has been organised on the northern beaches.

People wanting to know about the realities of dealing with death, bereavement and end of life care, are invited.

Leading health and aged care provider HammondCare is holding the event on Thursday — national “Dying to Know Day” — at Mona Vale.

HammondCare operates the Northern Beaches Community Palliative Care Service (NBCPCS), which last year provided palliative care support to 890 locals.

It’s encouraging those who have, or have someone in their lives with, a life-limiting illness to come along and listen to a panel of experts about dying and death.

The forum wants to remind people that good palliative care — care for the terminally ill and their families — can provide quality of life.

HammondCare wants to help locals with ways they can experience a “good death” with the right advance planning and support. Picture: Supplied

Palliative care clinical nurse consultant, Suzanne Sara, who is part of the discussion panel, said death and dying “will affect us all” and it was important to have “open conversations” about the subjects.

Ms Sara has recently toured regional Australia presenting HammondCare’s Last Days’ workshops on death and dying.

“Death and dying are uncomfortable subjects – many of us would prefer to avoid them – but it’s important to have practical knowledge and relieve uncertainty and confusion,” she said.

“People can have quality of life indefinitely while being a palliative care patient.”

Themes to be covered include what community palliative care is, the best way to support a loved one nearing end of life, where to access helpful services and advance care planning and wills.

There will be opportunity for questions and answers.

Palliative care clinical nurse consultant, Suzanne Sara holds Last Days workshops on death and dying. Picture; Supplied

Discussions will also include the answers to questions including: what is a good death?

HammondCare says that earlier decision making and greater awareness of end-of-life preferences enable people to work with health professionals to meet their unique needs and ensure a “good death”.

HammondCare’s general manager (Health and Hospitals) Felicity Burns said the

panel was part of its long-term strategy to ensure more people can live their lives to the “very end with quality, choice and dignity supported with good palliative care”.

Attendees will also be given information about volunteering to assist the service.

Also on the panel will be community palliative care nurse John San Martin, NBCPCS social worker Alison Bradshaw and HammondCare volunteer manager (Health) Leanne Broadhead. The event will be chaired by NBCPCS service manager Ann-Marie Perry.

The event is on at the NBPCS Cottage (next to the dog park) 18 Coronation St, Mona Vale, between 10.30am and 12.30pm. Morning tea will be provided.

To register for the forum, click here.