Here’s an update from one of our partners, Compassion in Dying, on a project we’re doing with them funded by the Lottery:
Advance care planning support on offer for local Portuguese-speakers
As St Martin’s
Day celebrations approach on 9 November 2019, Compassion in Dying is
encouraging Portuguese-speakers in Lambeth to use the opportunity to think
about what’s important to them and to plan for their future healthcare and
treatment, so that what matters to each person is known about when health
decisions need to be made.
This follows
the conclusion of a Lottery-funded project that supported Lambeth’s
Portuguese-speaking communities with advance care planning – a process that
enables people to think about and record how they would like to be
treated and cared for in future, in case a time comes when they are no longer
able to make or communicate their own decisions.
Through the project, which was run by Compassion in
Dying, the Stockwell Partnership and other local partners, bilingual materials
were developed, including an Advance Statement – a document which allows people
to document what is most important to them in relation to their future care and
treatment. This can include where they’d like to be cared for, their spiritual
or religious beliefs, and everyday preferences like diet and music.
Verena Hewat,
Outreach and Training Lead at Compassion in Dying said:
“St Martin’s
Day is a wonderful celebration of Portuguese culture where families, friends and
neighbours come together. It’s an ideal time to think about what is most
important to you and how this might affect the care and treatment you do or
don’t want to receive in future.
“Through our
project last year many participants told us how making an Advance Statement
allowed them to convey how important faith, food and culture was to them. Advance
care planning enabled them to record their wish to remain involved in these
aspects of their life in the future and say who they would like to be involved
in decisions about their care.”
Compassion in Dying’s findings from the project are detailed in their new report which is published this week, ‘Faith, Food and Family: Exploring advance care planning with Portuguese-speaking communities’.
Verena added:
“No one plans
to become unwell, but putting plans in place now means you can rest assured
that if you do become unable to say what you want, those around you will know
your wishes. If any local Portuguese-speakers would like help to plan ahead,
specialist support is available. Bilingual information on advance care planning
will be on offer at the Lambeth Portuguese Wellbeing Partnership’s St Martin’s
Day event on Saturday 9th November in the Stockwell Community
Centre.”
Further one-to-one
support can be accessed through the Stockwell Partnership, which has
Portuguese-speaking staff. They can be contacted at 020 7793 7730 or info@stockwell.org.uk.
Advance care planning
support on offer for local Portuguese-speakers
As St Martin’s
Day celebrations approach on 9 November 2019, Compassion in Dying is encouraging
Portuguese-speakers in Lambeth to use the opportunity to think about what’s
important to them and to plan for their future healthcare and treatment, so
that what matters to each person is known about when health decisions need to
be made.
This follows
the conclusion of a Lottery-funded project that supported Lambeth’s
Portuguese-speaking communities with advance care planning – a process that
enables people to think about and record how they would like to be
treated and cared for in future, in case a time comes when they are no longer
able to make or communicate their own decisions.
Through the project, which was run by Compassion in Dying, Stockwell Partnership and other local partners, bilingual materials were developed, including an Advance Statement – a document which allows people to document what is most important to them in relation to their future care and treatment. This can include where they’d like to be cared for, their spiritual or religious beliefs, and everyday preferences like diet and music.
Verena Hewat,
Outreach and Training Lead at Compassion in Dying said:
“St Martin’s
Day is a wonderful celebration of Portuguese culture where families, friends
and neighbours come together. It’s an ideal time to think about what is most important
to you and how this might affect the care and treatment you do or don’t want to
receive in future.
“Through our
project last year many participants told us how making an Advance Statement
allowed them to convey how important faith, food and culture was to them.
Advance care planning enabled them to record their wish to remain involved in
these aspects of their life in the future and say who they would like to be
involved in decisions about their care.”
Compassion in
Dying’s findings from the project are detailed in their new report which is
published this week, ‘Faith,
Food and Family: Exploring advance care planning with Portuguese-speaking communities’.
Verena added:
“No one plans
to become unwell, but putting plans in place now means you can rest assured
that if you do become unable to say what you want, those around you will know
your wishes. If any local Portuguese-speakers would like help to plan ahead,
specialist support is available. Bilingual information on advance care planning
will be on offer at the Lambeth Portuguese Wellbeing Partnership’s St Martin’s
Day event on Saturday 9th November in the Stockwell Community
Centre.”
Further one-to-one support can be accessed through Stockwell Partnership, which has Portuguese-speaking staff. They can be contacted at 020 7793 7730 or admin@stockwell.org.uk.
Following the
success of the project with Portuguese-speaking communities, the National
Lottery Community Fund has awarded funding to the Lambeth Advance Care Planning
Consortium, led by Compassion in Dying and Healthwatch Lambeth. The project
supports anyone living in Lambeth to plan for their future treatment and care,
including communities known to have poorer health experiences, such as carers,
people with multiple long-term health conditions, people with learning
disabilities, those living with dementia and Lambeth’s Portuguese-speaking
communities. The Consortium’s work will include awareness-raising events across
Lambeth and one-to-one support to enable local people to document their wishes,
ensuring that what matters to each person is known about when health decisions
need to be made.
