There are no small grants being offered for the remainder of this financial year.  The intent of this project is to provide small grants up to $4,000 to not for profit community groups in the Grampians region for projects which strengthen awareness, capacity and resilience of community members regarding people, including children, with life limiting illness, dying, death, and bereavement.

Benefits of a community awareness approach to palliative care include avoiding unwanted hospitalisation/treatment, making and communicating appropriate care plans before future potential loss of decision-making capacity, appointing a decision maker for a person’s best interests, putting in place enduring powers of attorney, making advance care plans, relieving family burden, dispelling myths and improved understanding of facts, personal peace of mind, autonomy and dignity at the end of life.

People with a life limiting illness spend most of their time with family, friends and acquaintances in their own community at home, including disability and residential aged care facilities, not in hospital.  Building community capacity in relation to life limiting illnesses, dying, death, loss and bereavement leads to better support and positive outcomes for people with a life limiting illness.

Even within the first round projects, this initiative has generated new and innovative partnerships between local communities and the palliative care services, and significantly ‘value added’ to the provision of excellent and responsive palliative care across the region, as can be seen from the table below.

Project Name Purpose of the Project
Palliative Care/Advance Care Planning information session for Hopetoun Healthcare Awareness Group Older residents to gain valuable information on pall. care from a professional
Wimmera Hospice Care Auxiliary, Lyn Bullock Memorial Quilt Auction Quilt Auction & Display day with presentation by pall care professional
The forgotten ones: working with women affected by secondary cancer to improve their supportive care needs Two forums for women affected by secondary cancer to find what supportive care is needed
Conversations with the Community about Palliative Care Messages Use the light-hearted Australian marmalade ‘Ashes’ challenge as the vehicle to get Palliative Care messages across to communities.
Its All About YOU Information sessions for the Harrow community on the importance of Advance Care Planning
Roadshow – When its a tough road ahead…. Information sessions for Yarriambiack Shire community on a Palliative Approach and Advance Care Planning

See Also: Grampians region specialist palliative care services’ contact information and service area

Contact us if you have any questions.