Geelong’s Anam Cara House will receive $120,000 from the Andrews Labor Government to improve access to compassionate end-of-life care and respite services across the Barwon South Western Region.
Minister for Health, Jill Hennessy, today visited Anam Cara House to announce funding from the Government’s new end-of-life framework, which is supporting more people with a life-limiting illness, their families and carers.
To support the framework, the Labor Government is delivering $7.2 million to projects that ensure end-of-life care wishes of people with a life-limiting illness are met and that they can enjoy the best possible quality of life.
This includes the expansion of specialist palliative care services, workforce training, respite options and carer training and support, and new models of care that better meet community needs and expectations.
Anam Cara House provides support for carers of people with a life-limiting illness within the Geelong region, providing day respite and short term overnight respite.
The House will receive $120,000 to lead a 12–month project with the Barwon South Western Region Palliative Care Consortium, and their service providers, to identify gaps and options to improve respite services for families across the region.
The project will consider the important role that volunteers play in providing high-quality respite care.
In addition to the new end-of-life framework, the Labor Government is also preparing new laws to protect advance care directives in legislation for the first time.
An advance care directive is a legally binding document designed to make a person’s preferences for future medical treatment clear when that person no longer has the capacity to make decisions directly themselves.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy
“People living in Geelong and beyond deserve access to end-of-life care which best meets their wishes, relieves their pain and provides the best support to loved ones – and we’re helping to deliver it.”
“I urge everyone in Geelong to talk openly about end-of-life care with their families. It’s a difficult discussion, but it’s a conversation we must all have.”
Quote attributable to Member for Bellarine Lisa Neville
“Our historic new laws mean patients in Geelong and across the Barwon South West region will have their end-of-life care wishes known and respected.”
Quote attributable to Member for Geelong Christine Couzens
“Our funding for Anam Cara House will improve access to high quality respite care across the region.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020