A palliative approach to people living with mental health challenges

South Coast Hospice has started a programme for palliative care for those with mental health challenges. Two highly qualified psychiatric nurses with many years of experience have trained the team of trained caregivers, enrolled nurses and two long serving hospice Palliative Care trained caregivers to provide care to this vulnerable group.

South Coast Hospice addresses mental health challenges within their community via expanded programmes (especially those who come from rural communities where the poverty levels are high, access to assistance is hard to find and the constant challenge of dealing and coping with stigma is an everyday occurrence).

The South Coast Hospice team consists of two highly qualified psychiatric nurses with many years of experience. Their role was to bring on a team of trained caregivers, enrolled nurses and two long serving hospice Palliative Care trained caregivers to provide care.

Once this was done. South Coast Hospice approached this program by visiting the communities through primary healthcare clinics and traditional leaders, police services and community health workers (CHW’s) whose service is valuable in the community.

Whilst awaiting registration for the step-down unit, they began their home-based care services meeting patients who had been discharged from the psych unit and their household members in their homes.

This approach of home care and support is invaluable as it serves to educate family members and patients about the importance of adherence to medication as well as the social worker intervention of receiving grants as well as counselling.

The step-down unit has admitted 10 patients to date. The criterion for admission is that the referral must come from the psych ward. South Coast Hospice’s role is to admit stable patients and bring a program of reintegration back into the community. The value of the interdisciplinary team that is used throughout the palliative care services forms a strong foundation of care and support for this very vulnerable group.

South Coast Hospice

http://southcoasthospice.co.za/
https://www.facebook.com/southcoasthospice/