Room 64 - A Palliative Care Podcast Barwon Health

In this episode of Room 64, we are joined by Russell
Armstrong and Sue Strong from the Barwon Health Palliative Care Dignity Therapy team.

Russell shares his extensive knowledge and experience as the Dignity Therapy team manager and we also hear from Sue about the privilege of volunteering with the team and engaging with palliative care patients as they share their life stories for family and friends to cherish after they have passed away.

Please take the opportunity to listen and share with your
families and friends to keep these conversations happening.

Join Steve Trumble as he shares about caring for his wife Therese through her oesophageal cancer, including her end-of-life journey at home with the love, care and support of her family, affectionately known as Team Therese.

Room 64 is joined by Jill Mann from Barwon Health's Advance Care Planning team, who shares her experience and the role of the Advance Care Planning program in supporting people to plan for future health, care and medical treatments. The program identifies goals, values and medical preferences where individual needs and priorities are documented for the future.

Who would make medical treatment decisions for you if you were too sick to do this for yourself?

For more information about Advance Care Planning through Barwon Health, visit www.barwonhealth.org.au/services-departments/advance-care-planning or phone 4215 7723.

Kat Dunell joins Room 64 to share her experience with the Barwon Health Palliative Care team, after her husband Brett Smith was diagnosed with melanoma at age 43 and died seven years later.

Given melanoma is the second most common cancer for men in Australia, Kat's message is “Take it seriously. Get your skin checked every year. Find out if you're high risk or low risk”.

This episode features the sounds of the didgeridoo from Michael Cousins, an indigenous healer who supported Brett and his family in palliative care with his connection to land and country.

Room 64 is joined by members of the McKellar Singing Group, as part of the Palliative Care program at Barwon Health. This choir came together through grief and now sings in the McKellar Chapel, celebrating a generosity of spirit through music.

“Bringing a group of bereaved people together... creates a great layer of comfort and hope.”

Clinical nurse coordinator Robyn Matheson joins the podcast to talk about running Barwon Health's Pal@Home program, which won a Victorian Public Health Care Award in the category of “improving the integration of care for patients with chronic and complex conditions”.

During Palliative Care Week, it is important to reflect on the exceptional palliative care service provided by Barwon Health and in this case the Pal@Home team – the difference they make to people's lives simply by giving their patients choice.