Palhelp Psychosocial Support Services in Tasmania: What You Need to Know

Enhancing Patient Wellbeing Through Psychosocial Support Referrals

The role of primary care providers can extend beyond physical health management to encompass the emotional and psychological wellbeing of your patients. Referring patients for psychosocial support can significantly improve their overall quality of life, particularly for those facing chronic illnesses or life-altering conditions. This guide highlights the benefits of such referrals and introduces Palhelp's Advance Care Planning support service, along with the positive effects of reminiscence in life story biography.

Palhelp services are provided free at the point of contact to patients and their families.

Patient support programs are provided on referral from a Primary Health provider or specialist practitioner.

The service is funded through the Tasmanian Governent and operates in close collaboration with THS colleagues.

The Importance of Psychosocial Support

Psychosocial support plays a vital role in enhancing the wellbeing of patients by addressing emotional, social, and psychological needs. This support helps patients cope with the challenges of their health conditions, fosters resilience, and promotes a sense of community and belonging.

Benefits of Referring Patients for Psychosocial Support

• Improved Emotional Health: Access to counseling and support groups can help patients process their feelings and emotions, reducing anxiety and depression.

• Enhanced Coping Strategies: Psychosocial support equips patients with tools to manage their illness and improve their quality of life.

• Strengthened Social Connections: Connecting patients with support networks can alleviate feelings of isolation and foster meaningful relationships.

Palhelp's Advance Care Planning Support Service

Palhelp offers an Advance Care Planning support service designed to assist patients in making informed decisions about their healthcare preferences. This service provides guidance on discussing end-of-life wishes, ensuring that patients' values and desires are respected. By facilitating these conversations, you can help your patients feel empowered and supported in their healthcare journey.

Palhelp professional staff support patients to understand the complex language of the Advance Care Directive and provide in person education about the reasons why a person might want to appoint an Enduring Guardian, grant Power of Attorney and create a Will.

A surprising number of people do not take these simple steps and do share with family their end-of-life care wishes. This can lead to complex grief situations and unresolved issues.

Palhelp staff understand the legal implications involved in Advance Care Planning and educate people on how to have these difficult conversations in order to make their wishes known and to put their plans into place.

The benefits of Advance Care Planning include:

• Improved Communication: Facilitates discussions among patients, families, and healthcare providers about preferences and values.

• Enhanced Understanding: Helps individuals understand their medical options and the implications of their choices.

• Personalized Care: Ensures that care aligns with the individual’s values and wishes, leading to more personalized treatment.

• Reduced Stress: Alleviates the burden on family members during difficult decision-making times by clarifying preferences in advance.

• Increased Satisfaction: Patients often report higher satisfaction with their care when their preferences are honored.

• Better Quality of Life: Can lead to improved quality of life by ensuring that care is consistent with personal goals and desires.

• Legal Clarity: Provides legal documentation that can guide healthcare decisions when individuals are unable to communicate.

• Resource Optimization: Helps healthcare systems allocate resources more effectively by aligning care with patient preferences.

The Impact of Reminiscence in Life Story Biography

Incorporating reminiscence therapy into patient care can have profound benefits that extend beyond mere memory recollection. This therapeutic approach encourages patients to reflect on their life stories, which can significantly enhance their overall well-being. By engaging in this reflective process, patients can experience a multitude of positive outcomes, which can be categorized into several key areas:

• Promote Self-Reflection: Sharing memories is not just a nostalgic activity; it serves as a powerful tool for self-discovery and personal insight. When patients recount their past experiences, they often gain a deeper understanding of their life journey, which can lead to increased self-awareness. This process fosters a sense of identity and continuity, allowing individuals to see how their past has shaped who they are today. It can also help them to recognize patterns in their behavior and decision-making, ultimately leading to a more cohesive narrative of their lives.

• Enhance Emotional Wellbeing: Reminiscing is known to evoke a range of emotions, many of which can be positive and uplifting. By focusing on joyful memories, patients can experience a reduction in feelings of sadness and anxiety. This emotional uplift can contribute to improved mental health, as the act of recalling happy moments can stimulate the release of endorphins and other feel-good hormones. Moreover, reminiscence therapy can provide a safe space for patients to express grief or unresolved feelings about past events, facilitating emotional healing and resilience.

• Strengthen Family Bonds: Engaging in life story biography not only benefits the individual but also creates valuable opportunities for meaningful conversations between patients and their loved ones. When patients share their life stories, family members can gain insight into their loved one’s experiences, values, and beliefs. This exchange can foster empathy and understanding, leading to stronger familial connections. Furthermore, these interactions can encourage younger generations to appreciate their heritage and the life lessons that come from the past, bridging generational gaps and reinforcing family ties.

Beyond these primary benefits, reminiscence therapy can also play a crucial role in cognitive stimulation. As patients recall specific events, names, and places, they are engaging their cognitive faculties, which can help maintain mental agility and potentially delay cognitive decline associated with aging or neurological conditions. Additionally, the process of storytelling itself can be a creative outlet, allowing patients to express themselves in unique ways, enhancing their sense of agency and control over their narratives.

In conclusion, the integration of reminiscence therapy into patient care is a multifaceted approach that not only promotes self-reflection and emotional well-being but also strengthens familial relationships and cognitive function. By valuing and sharing life stories, we can create a supportive environment that honors individual histories and fosters a sense of belonging and connection in the present. This therapeutic practice holds the potential to enrich the lives of patients, making it an invaluable component of holistic care in various healthcare settings.

How to Facilitate Referrals for Psychosocial Support

As a primary care physician, you can play a pivotal role in facilitating access to psychosocial support by:

• Identifying patients who may benefit from additional emotional and psychological support.

• Providing information about local psychosocial services and support groups including www.palhelp.org

• Encouraging open discussions about mental health and wellbeing during consultations.

Conclusion

By recognizing the importance of psychosocial support and utilizing services like Palhelp's Advance Care Planning, you can significantly enhance the wellbeing of your patients. Your proactive approach in referring patients for psychosocial support not only improves their quality of life but also strengthens their ability to cope with the challenges they face.

Understanding Tasmania Palliative Care Services

Palliative care focuses on improving comfort and quality of life for people living with life-limiting illnesses. It is not about curing the disease but managing symptoms, pain, and emotional challenges. In Southern Tasmania, palliative care services are designed to support both patients and their families through this difficult journey.

These services include:

• Symptom management: Pain relief, breathlessness control, and managing other distressing symptoms.

• Emotional and psychological support: Counselling and mental health support for patients and carers.

• Practical assistance: Help with daily activities and coordination of care.

• Spiritual care: Support for personal beliefs and values.

• Respite care: Temporary relief for carers to rest and recharge.

  
  

As a General Practitioner (GP) or primary healthcare provider, it is essential to understand the importance of palliative care for patients diagnosed with terminal conditions. You play a crucial role in referring patients to specialised palliative care teams, which collaborate with you to develop tailored care plans that align with the patients' wishes and needs. This integrated approach ensures comprehensive support for both patients and their families during challenging times.

Palhelp volunteer providing companionship to a person who has a life-limiting illness, at early stage of referral for support

How to Refer to Palhelp Services

Accessing Palhelp support in Southern Tasmania is straightforward but requires timely referral for patients and their family carers to gain maximum benefit. An early referral can be made at any stage from initial diagnosis, right through the treatment journey, including at times when patients are referred to specialists or in patient treatment.

Attempts to refer patients who are in the end-of-life care phase are less successful, as patients and their families are reducing the circle of new people with whom they choose to interact. Closing the circle is a self-protective mechanism and families are often more engaged and less accepting of Palhelp support at this stage. If you are caring for someone with COPD, a neurological condition, chronic heart disease, cancer or major organ disease think about making an early referral to Palhelp.

Allied health practitioners such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, or social workers can also initiate referrals.

Healthcare professional making a referral online to Palhelp

What Primary HealthCare Practitioners may not be aware of

Palhelp is a part of palliative care, provided by Hospice Volunteers South Tas. Palliative care is often misunderstood. While end-of-life care through Specialist Palliative Care Services provides excellent support, there are some realities that are not always openly discussed:

• Palhelp is not just for the final days: Many people think palliative care is only for the last few days of life. In reality, palhelp services can support patients for months, focusing on quality of life.

• Palhelp can support patients at home or accompany to appointments: Services offered in-home include assistance with planning for end of life, including Advance Cre Planning, home companionship and Lifestory biography.

• Palhelp teams include professional staff and volunteers: Volunteers play a vital role in providing companionship, practical help, and emotional support.

• Hospice care is purely psychosocial: It does not address medical care needs, personal care or physical assistance. It focusses on the patient and their family, and their emotional, social, and spiritual needs.

• Palhelp is not about giving up on treatment options: It is about living well with a terminal illness, with dignity and comfort.

  
  

Understanding these points can help families make informed decisions and feel more comfortable accepting Palhelp support.

Volunteer preparing support packages for palliative care patients

How Palhelp Supports People with Life-Limiting Conditions

Palhelp is a key organisation in Southern Tasmania providing free, compassionate support for people with terminal illnesses. Their services go beyond traditional palliative care by offering unique programs such as life story recording and grief support.

What Palhelp Offers:

• Emotional and social support: Volunteers provide companionship and practical help.

• Life story recording: Helping patients capture their memories and stories to share with loved ones.

• Grief support: Assistance for families coping with loss.

• Carer support: Respite and guidance for those caring for someone with a terminal illness.

• Bereavement support: Walking Through Grief, peer support program is a core component of the Specialist Palliative Care bereavement response program for families

  
  

Palhelp’s volunteers are carefully trained to provide empathetic and respectful care. If there is one takeaway for Primary Care practitioners, it is this: don't be fearful about mentioning Palhelp to patients, always be mindful that an early referral can make all the difference for patients and their families facing challenging situations.

Practical Tips for Carers Supporting Someone with a Terminal Illness

Caring for a loved one with a life-limiting illness is challenging. Here are some practical tips to help you manage this role:

• Stay informed: Learn about the illness and what to expect. This helps you anticipate needs and plan ahead.

• Communicate openly: Encourage honest conversations about wishes, fears, and preferences.

• Use available services: Don’t hesitate to ask for help from palliative care teams, respite services, and support groups.

• Take care of yourself: Carer burnout is common. Make time for rest, hobbies, and social connections.

• Keep a symptom diary: Track pain levels, medication effects, and other symptoms to share with healthcare providers.

• Plan for emergencies: Have a clear plan for what to do if symptoms suddenly worsen.

  
  

Remember, you are not alone. Support is available to help you provide the best care possible.

By understanding the palliative care services available in Southern Tasmania and how to access them, you can ensure your loved one receives compassionate, comprehensive support. Whether you are a carer, a healthcare professional, or someone interested in volunteering, organisations like Palhelp are here to help you every step of the way.