End of life care program repeat screening on April 13th
April 1, 2010A popular Rural Health Education Foundation television program exploring the issues involved in end of life care, particularly in rural and remote Australia, will have an encore screening airing on Tuesday April 13th.
End of Life Care looks at the latest developments in palliative and end of life care, and examines the particular issues for special groups, including children and Indigenous people, and end of life care in special settings, such as the critical care setting.
The 67-minute program, which first aired in July 2009, also covers the distinctions between euthanasia, assisted suicide and lawful treatment limitation decisions, and the ethical issues raised for health care professionals.
Coping with more in-home care preferences
“People approaching the end of life deserve accurate information and informed assessments of their specific needs, and expect proper consideration of their care preferences,” says Rural Health Education Foundation CEO Don Perlgut. “With half a million Australians experiencing the impact of terminal illness each year, appropriate end of life care and communication skills are vital for many health professionals.”
“The desire to be close to land and family at life’s end - which is particularly prevalent in rural, remote and Indigenous communities - poses additional challenges for palliative care providers,” Mr Perlgut says. “The growing preference among terminal patients to be cared for and to die at home is one of the many issues explored in this program.”
Presented by an expert panel
The program format is a panel discussion chaired by Dr Norman Swan, Presenter of the Health Report on ABC Radio National.
The panel of medical practitioners features Professor David Currow, Professor of Palliative and Supportive Services at Flinders University, SA; Ms Nikki Fursdon, a Specialist Palliative Care Nurse from the ACT; Dr Joel Rhee, a General Practitioner and Conjoint Lecturer at the University of NSW; and Professor Wendy Rogers, Professor of Clinical Ethics, Philosophy Department & Australian School of Advanced Medicine, at Macquarie University, NSW.
Program funding
End of Life Care was funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.
Broadcast details
End of Life Care will be broadcast across the Rural Health Education Foundation’s satellite television network on Tuesday April 13th at 8.00pm (AEST), with repeats at 8.00pm Perth time that same evening (two hours later) and 12.30pm on Friday April 16th.
Also available on DVD and via web-streaming
DVD copies of End of Life Care are available via our website. The program is also available free on the Internet for viewing via web-streamed video or listening via an audio podcast.
Preservation of life not the only goal of medical care
A primary goal of medical care is the preservation of life. However, when life can’t be preserved, the task is to provide symptom management and supportive care to the dying person and support to family members and others.
Each year half a million Australians experience the impact of terminal illness and the capacity of our health services to respond is often limited.
More information
For more information about the End of Life Care program - including presenter details, access instructions and associated educational resources - refer to the online program summary or contact the Foundation.