“Seventy per cent of Australians want to die at home yet only 14 per cent do so. Dying in Australia is more institutionalised than in most countries…”
Dying Well Report – Grattan Institute
When we are preparing for the birth of a child there is usually so much to do. We talk, we plan, we share our concerns and excitement. Our loved ones are usually involved. We attend classes, gobble up all information we can, choose our birthing and care options. It is how it should be.
When it comes to end of life care there is a hush. It’s as if having the conversation will bring about death more quickly. In this session we will discuss how Australians plan for and experience end of life care. We will talk about what conversations you need to have, where to get advice and the palliative care choices available to enable you to have the end of life care you choose.
Speakers
Dr Stephen Ginsborg is a COTA NSW board director and a general practitioner.
Dr Ginsborg has worked as a GP on the Northern Beaches of Sydney for over 40 years. He is a Board Member of Sydney North Primary Health Network (PHN). He also sits on the Boards of Community Care Northern Beaches (CCNB), Manly Warringah Division of General Practice, and Kamaroi School.
His interests include mental health, and elder, palliative and intergenerational care. He cares for all ages, but the challenges of ageing have great resonance for him in his work. He is committed to developing strategies that assist community, GPs and other health care professionals to offer options for people, based on compassionate care in a manner and place of their choice.
Stephen liaises with and learns from his local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. For many years he has been working with Groundswell to bring the Compassionate Communities model of care to Australia.
Megan Asbury is Acting CEO of Palliative Care NSW.
Megan was introduced to Palliative Care NSW in July 2015, as part of an internship program while completing a Masters of Policy and Applied Social Research at Macquarie University, concluding a study on palliative care volunteering in aged care facilities during this time.
Since then Megan has worked as a Policy Officer for Palliative Care NSW undertaking research into the experiences of volunteers in paediatric palliative care, CALD communities and palliative care and most recently Homelessness and Palliative Care.
Melissa Reader is CEO of The Violet Initiative.
The Violet Initiative helps people navigate the last stage of life. We provide content, tools, resources and support programs for people right across the country. Violet has helped over 15,000 people and trained over 1,500 employees in a range of settings across aged care, home care, financial services, insurance and funeral providers.
Melissa’s personal experience gives her first-hand insight into the world of death and dying, while her deep experience developing brands and businesses with purpose keeps The Violet Initiative on track as a national social enterprise.