Press release

All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC) is calling on people in communities across the island of Ireland to become better informed about palliative care and its benefits as part of Palliative Care Week. Now in its ninth year, Palliative Care Week takes place from 11 to 17 September.

Palliative Care Week 2022 aims to raise awareness across the island of Ireland about the difference palliative care can make to people’s quality of life.

This year’s theme is ‘Palliative Care: Living as well as possible’. It echoes AIIHPC’s commitment to raising awareness of the positive impact that palliative care has on the lives of people with life-limiting illnesses and their families; allowing them to live their lives as fully as they can.

Karen Charnley, AIIHPC Director, said;

“We chose this year’s theme as Living as well as possible as we wanted to show how palliative care enables people to have a good quality of life.”

It can achieve this by putting the individual at the centre of care, supporting their physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs.

“It can also benefit people at all stages of illness and people of all ages, allowing the person to continue to have the independence to do some of the things that they enjoy, such as hobbies and spending time with family.”

“Throughout most people’s lives they will know someone who needs palliative care – often  a family member. So, this year for Palliative Care Week we want to reach as many people as possible in [county] and help them to be better informed about all aspects of palliative care and its benefits.”

“It is important that people talk to their health or social care professional and communicate their concerns and ask questions about palliative care and how it could help them or someone important to them,” Ms Charnley said.

“Palliative Care Week is a hugely important week for us as it creates many opportunities for us to show the vital help that is available for people, along with new developments in palliative care. We are especially looking forward to being able to meet in person at a number of events that are planned for Palliative Care Week this year, having been all online for the past two years due to the Covid 19 pandemic,” Fintan Fagan, Chief Executive Officer, St Francis Hospice, Dublin and Chair of AIIHPC .”

To find out more about Palliative Care Week:

For those with an interest in promoting a better understanding of palliative care:

  • Download the leaflet, poster and other resources from thepalliativehub.com/public-awareness and share it with your family, friends, colleagues, fellow members of local groups, or your online community
  • A number of public events are taking place, further information is available at Palliative Care Week Events – The Palliative Hub
  • Talk to your family and share your wishes in the event that you have palliative care needs in the future, and encourage others to do the same
  • Share your own palliative care experience story on social media during Palliative Care Week 2022 using #pallcareweek.

AIIHPC is encouraging people to get informed and to share this information with their family and friends, and any local groups they are in, during Palliative Care Week 2022.

Any groups or individuals wishing to obtain leaflets and/or posters can contact AIIHPC by calling +353 1 4912948 or by emailing info@aiihpc.org.

-ENDS-

For further information or to request a spokesperson for interview, contact: 

Sarah Dunne on +353 85 853 5647 or sarahd@cclinic.ie or Aileen Gaskin on +353 87 772 4717

 

Notes to Editors:

All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC) is a collaborative of hospices, health and social care organisations and universities on the island of Ireland. AIIHPC advances education, research and practice to improve the palliative care experience of people with life-limiting conditions and their families.

AIIHPC works with a group of visionary partners who recognise the value of working together to achieve a better, richer experience of palliative care for people with life-limiting conditions. The organisation’s 26 partners (15 Republic of Ireland / 11 Northern Ireland) are:

Belfast Health and Social Care Trust

Dublin City University

Dublin University Trinity College

Galway Hospice Foundation

Irish Hospice Foundation

Irish Cancer Society

LauraLynn Children’s Hospice

Macmillan Cancer Support

Marie Curie

Marymount University Hospital & Hospice

Milford Care Centre

National University of Ireland Galway

Northern Health and Social Care Trust

Northern Ireland Hospice

Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services

Public Health Agency

Queen’s University Belfast

South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust

Southern Health and Social Care Trust

St. Francis Hospice

Ulster University

University College Cork

University College Dublin

University of Limerick

Waterford Institute of Technology

Western Health and Social Care Trust

AIIHPC receives funding from a range of sources including the HSE, Department of Health (RoI), Public Health Agency, Health Research Board, Health and Social Care R&D Division, Public Health Agency and the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC)