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20th November 2020 Latest News

Enhancing Therapeutic Connections in Palliative Care

Estelle Chapple, Palliative Art Therapist

Facilitating a person-centered approach to palliative care

Orientation boards are being used to create therapeutic connections with palliative care patients at The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (TQEH).

Estelle Chapple, Palliative Art Therapist said the boards helped facilitate a person-centered approach to care, to support patients’ self-identity, their goals and what matters most to them. She said the boards were useful in a multi-disciplined care setting as they provided further information to caregivers and clinicians that may not always be given.

“The aim of the boards is to provide staff with a reminder to recognise there are many aspects to a patient rather than just their medical diagnosis. It also helps patients to adapt themselves in an unfamiliar environment,” Estelle said.

“It also helps patients keep their self-identity in palliative care and most importantly, it enables patients to share what is most important to them.”

Each board features an ‘about me’ section in the centre, which is purposefully placed as a reminder that the person is at the centre of care and depicts something significant that embodies part of their identity.

The orientation boards have been used as an example of best practice, person-centred care in action at The Australian Nurses and Midwifery Conference in South Australia.

The Centre for Creative Health is proud to be supporting this positive initiative for palliative care patients to focus on during their time in hospital.

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