The Role of Care Assistants in Palliative Care

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The Role of Care Assistants in Palliative Care

• By Joseph Mooney

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• You matter because you are you,and you matter
  to the end of your life.We will do all we can
  not only to help you die peacefully, but also to
  live until you die.
• (Dame Cicely Saunders 1993)

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Caring and Assisting

• Caring many interpretations
• To be concerned
• To have regard, affection and consideration
• To provide physical needs, help or comfort
• (Mc Cance 2005).

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Assisting

• Various meanings
• Helping
• Available
• Doing ones best
• Being aware of the need
• Planning
• Valuing

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Nature of Role

• Role is multi-dimensional
• Encompasses the physical, psychological, social,
  cultural and spiritual aspects
• Role is unique caring relationship during the
  illness trajectory

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Role of Care Assistant

• To support patients and families
• Admission
• Adapting to new environment
• Assessment of needs
• Observing the verbal and non-verbal cues

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Role of Care Assistant

• To support Nursing and Medical Staff
• Activities of living
• Pressure area care
• Meeting hygiene needs
• Mobilisation and ambulation
• Promoting comfort

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Role of Care Assistant

• To attend multi-Disciplinary Meeting and
  psychosocial meetings
• Weekly meetings
• Contributions from my interactions with patients
  and family members
• Decision making with regard to patient/ family
  care planning as illness progresses

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Communications

• Patient
• Family
• Interdisciplinary team
• Focus on living and dying

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Patient and Family Support

• Nursing and medical staff
• Occupational Therapist
• Physiotherapy
• Chaplaincy
• Household
• Social workers

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Challenges

• Exposure to death and dying
• Family Dynamics
• Terminology
• Management of symptoms
• Patients lack of awareness and understanding of
  their conditions

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Rewards

• Meeting patients and families
• Ordinariness of care- makes a difference
• Time
• Journeying with patients and families
• Team member
• Muti- skilled

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Thank You

• Questions?