A short video capturing some of the ways that people working in palliative care deal with stress has been produced to coincide with RUOK? Day.
The team at Palliative Care Australia interviewed a number of delegates attending the Oceanic Palliative Care Conference this week in Perth, asking how they cope with the emotional demands of their work.
Responses ranged from practising mindfulness and doing exercise and yoga, to debriefing with colleagues, painting, enjoying time with family and staying connected to friends.
As one attendee said, “If you can’t look after yourself, you can’t care for other people.”
Palliative Care Australia CEO Rohan Greenland said it is “vitally important that people working in palliative care take the time to practise self-care to reduce burnout and stress.”
“Having support from colleagues, friends and family to be able to debrief after difficult days is also important so that they can continue to provide high-quality care to those who need it.”
“We also need people with life-limiting illness and their loved ones to be able to feel comfortable to ask for additional support when they need it, so breaking down the stigma of mental health issues and encouraging people to start conversations to connect with people around them is a positive thing,” Mr Greenland said.
Watch the video:
