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October focus: Hospice and palliative care

Project Overview

online community engagement

Saturday 11 October is World Hospice and Palliative Care Day (WHPCD), a unified day of action to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care around the world.

The theme for 2025 is Achieving the Promise: Universal Access to Palliative Care looking at what is needed to make a world where there is universal access to palliative care. Palliative care is fundamental for individuals with serious illness approaching end-of-life so that they can be cared for in a way that best suits their needs to improve their quality of life, well-being, comfort, and human dignity.

Death is not a medical event. It is a social, relational and potentially spiritual event. Most of the care of the dying is done by family or carers and their support network.

  • Death Literacy Index

    The Death Literacy Index is a population-based tool measuring people’s knowledge and skills that allow them to make active choices around end-of-life options and understanding what contributes to people’s level of death literacy.​ The 9-question form is estimated to take 2 minutes. Completing the survey will inform the Capital Health Network Palliative Care Planning team of strengths, opportunities for improvements, key learnings, and standpoint in ACT against the Australian average.

    Take this Survey Take Survey Anonymously

Useful resources

Palliative Care ACT

Palliative Care ACT

Palliative Care ACT is a representative voice for palliative care in the Australian Capital Territory. Formed in 1985, they are a non-government, not for profit community based organisation, a registered charity and a founding member of the...

Find out more
Advance care planning - ACT Government

Advance care planning - ACT Government

Advance care planning helps your healthcare team and loved ones to make important medical decisions on your behalf.

Sharing your wishes means that if there is a time you can’t communicate, they can give you the care you want.

Find out more
Palliative Care Australia

Palliative Care Australia

Palliative Care Australia (PCA) is the national peak body for palliative care. They represent all those who work towards high quality palliative care for all Australians who need it. Working closely with consumers, our Member Organisations,...

Find out more
Palliative Care and End-of-Life - Canberra Health Literacy Hub

Palliative Care and End-of-Life - Canberra Health Literacy Hub

Palliative care is care for people with progressive, life limiting illness. It helps them to keep as much quality of life as possible. A life-limiting illness is any illness that is likely to cause death in the foreseeable future.

Canberra...

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End of life and palliative care - ACT Government

End of life and palliative care - ACT Government

Find a palliative care service, plan for the end of your life, learn about the changes that happen as death approaches and where to get help if you’re grieving.

Find out more

References

Noonan K, Grindrod A, Shrestha S, Lee S, Leonard R, Johansson T. Progressing the Death Literacy Index: the development of a revised version (DLI-R) and a short format (DLI-9). Palliative Care and Social Practice. 2024;18. doi:10.1177/26323524241274806 

Capital Health Network acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the country on which we work and live, and recognises their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to them and their cultures, and to Elders past and present.