Nairobi Hospice is conducting five day long palliative care training for non-health professionals at its premises.
The course targets volunteers supporting hospice work and individuals in various professions who could wish to volunteer in palliative care.
Once equipped with palliative care knowledge, those trained are expected to apply skills by using the concepts, theories, principles and attitude of palliative care in their profession and related disciplines while caring for a patient/client with a life limiting illness in various settings.
Addressing the trainees on the first day of training, the Nairobi Hospice training coordinator M/s. Jescah Ng’ang’a said palliative care recognizes the role of non-health professionals in the care of patients at end of life.
“You are the people close to the patients in the community or some have relatives with such illnesses and it is therefore important to equip you with prerequisite knowledge on how best to help these patients.” Said M/s. Ng’ang’a.
She said that if a patient is infected, the family members are affected and through such training, those close to the family will be able to offer appropriate guidelines in the care of patients with terminal illnesses.
“Volunteers (non-health care professionals) are an integral part of hospice care throughout the world and Nairobi is not an exception. Many volunteers have made and continue to make a substantial contribution to our work.” She said
The training coordinator will take participants of the training through breaking bad news and psychological adaptation to death and dying, practical aspects of care at home and emotional survival/ care of carers among other palliative care issues.
Also conducting the training is Nairobi Hospice CEO Dr Brigid Sirengo who will take trainees through Grief/Bereavement and lose as well as the work of hospices.
Nairobi Hospice Senior Nursing Officer M/s. Catherine Ajuoga will take trainees through death and ourselves as well as nutrition in terminally ill patients.
Dr Donald Aboge will address cancer and HIV/AIDS and Pain and Symptom control in patients with life limiting illnesses.
At the end of the training, the trainees are expected to define palliative care, describe the role of non-health care professionals in palliative care, discuss the cultural/spiritual issues surrounding death and dying among other skills.
The participants will also receive certificates at the end of the five day training.
Nairobi Hospice was established in 1989 and officially opened for palliative care service delivery in 1990 adapting the modern hospice concept as initiated and developed by Dame (Dr) Cicely Saunders since 1967.
The hospice exists to provide and promote the highest quality of total care possible for people with advanced cancer and Aids and to provide counseling and support for their families and other individuals important to their care.
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