It's Your Right
Every year the Australian Palliative Care community come together to raise awareness of the challenges and benefits of palliative care, with a focus on a specific theme. National Palliative Care Week 2022 kicks off on Sunday 22nd May and runs for a week until Saturday the 28th May. National Palliative Care Week is supported by the Department of Health as an awareness raising initiative but also an opportunity to acknowledge and thank the tireless efforts of everyone who works In the sector - from the hundreds of palliative care specialists and palliative care nurses across the country, to general practitioners, volunteers, allied health professionals, community workers and everyone who works within the palliative care sector.
This year's theme is ‘It's Your Right’, places a spotlight on the rights of all Australians to access high quality palliative care when and where they need it. Palliative care is a universal human right, explicitly recognised under the human right to health. Palliative care helps people live as well as possible, for as long as possible when living with a life-limiting or terminal illness. Palliative care identifies and treats symptoms which may be physical, emotional, spiritual or social. Palliative care workers and services have a deep understanding of the difficult situations people near the end of their life or with a life-limiting illness often face.
They can be instrumental in balancing a variety of perspectives and incorporating the psychological, social, and spiritual concerns of patients, their families and the staff caring for them. They are also there to support the loved ones of people near the end of their life and help them live through their grief and bereavement.
In the past there have been a range of events held in both the Top End and Central Australia for palliative Care Week. If you'd like to find out more about what's happening locally you can contact us for more details. For more information about National Palliative Care week visit the dedicated page on the Palliative Care Australia website.