The Last Days Program | The Palliative Centre

Knowledge and tools to navigate a person’s last days

Around 160,000 people die every year in Australia - so how can we help families know what to expect and prepare for what is coming?

Our Last Days program is designed to equip people with practical knowledge and tools to navigate the last days of someone they care for.

We also offer Last Days Dementia, to help carers negotiate the complications that come when someone with dementia is dying.

The Last Days program has been generously supported by the HammondCare Foundation.

Participants learn

How we die and the role of palliative care
What a 'good death' is and the choices we have
How to have conversations about dying and plan for what’s ahead
Practical matters to get affairs in order
Care choices as we near death
Grief and loss
Rituals, rules and regulations around death
How dementia affects the process of dying

Who is it for?

→ People in regional Australia caring for someone facing their last days

If you live in regional Australia and are currently caring for someone who is facing their last days, we have online and in-person Last Days and Last Days Dementia workshops, with more being announced throughout the year. Supported by the HammondCare Foundation, these workshops aim to address the inconsistent provision of palliative and end-of-life care in regional, rural and remote areas.

Last Days regional and online workshops

Click on the links to find out more and book your spot

Northern Queensland

Last Days Dementia

Far West

Last Days Foundation

Broken Hill - 9:30am, Tue 25 Jun 24

Last Days Dementia

Broken Hill - 9:30am, Wed 26 Jun 24

Online

Last Days Dementia online

→ Health and aged care professionals

If you're a healthcare provider, you can partner with us to deliver Last Days and Last Days Dementia online or face-to-face to the people in your care, at your location of choice. Hundreds of healthcare professionals have now taken part in the program, growing their capacity to guide carers through the end of life period.

Partner with us

The Last Days Program helps to

Acquire knowledge and tools
Support someone in your care to proactively make end-of-life choices
Understand dying as a normal part of life
Prepare for what’s coming by learning about the dying process

Know where to find support
Connect to practical support and others going through a similar experience
Feel confident talking about end of life
Understand that death need not be private or hidden and learn to talk about it openly

What does it involve?

The Last Days program is run by an experienced palliative care nurse as either a three-hour face-to-face workshop or a three-hour online workshop.

It is designed to equip family, friends and carers of someone at end-of-life with the knowledge and skills to navigate their last days, and includes workshops specifically on supporting someone with dementia through their last days.

Participants receive a comprehensive workbook with information on support services and resources.

Introduction to The Last Days Program

Understanding the process of ordinary dying
Program objectives

Module 1: Demystifying death and dying

What is palliative care
What care is available to you
We all have choices
What is important to you

Module 2: Future Planning – providing the tools and support to plan for what’s ahead

What is advance care planning
Who would you trust to make your health decisions
What do all these definitions mean
Communication approaches and strategies

Module 3: Understanding what to Expect

Dying – it’s a natural process
In the last days
Symptoms you may experience when supporting your loved one
Self care
What they may experience
Living life until the end

Module 4: Rituals, Rules and Regulations

Spiritual Care
The moments after someone has died
Who to notify
Funerals

Module 5: Grief and Loss

No right or wrong way to grieve
Caring for yourself
Children and grief

“So informative. I feel prepared to confront the difficulties that come from saying farewell to those we love.”

The Last Days Program pilot participant

“Very informative and reassuring. Having this knowledge makes me feel less anxious about the end of life. Thank you.”