Townsville Community Activity REport · 2019. 5. 15. · Smita Gupta, Project Coordinator MHA, MPH Marg Adams, Project Manager RN, NP, MNP(CDM), MCN(PallC), GDPC Shyla Mills, Project

TOWNSVILLE COMMUNITY ACTIVITY REPORT

Connecting End of Life Care in Townsville Project (CELC-T)

Report completed by:

Smita Gupta, Project Coordinator MHA, MPH

Marg Adams, Project Manager RN, NP, MNP(CDM), MCN(PallC), GDPC

Shyla Mills, Project Director RN, MPallC, MPH Sept 2018

CELC-T Community Activities Summary Report 2018 Page 1 of 13

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Background ........................................................................................................... 2

Palliative Care Community Survey ..................................................................... 3

Community Conversation Starter Activities ..................................................... 4

Public Information Booth: Shopping Centre and Markets ...................................... 4

Before I die Banner ....................................................................................................... 6

Awareness Campaign: What Matter Most? ............................................................... 7

Participation in Community Events.................................................................... 8

Chronic disease Management Expo – Townsville Aboriginal & Islander Health

Services (TAIHS) ........................................................................................................... 8

NAIDOC Week: 13th July 2018 ..................................................................................... 8

Belgian School Parade ................................................................................................ 9

Dying to Know day ....................................................................................................... 9

Queensland Palliative Care Film Night- Townsville ................................................. 9

James Cook University Market Day ......................................................................... 10

Mater Community Connect provider Expo .............................................................. 10

Community Aged Care Round Table ....................................................................... 11

Townsville City Council: ............................................................................................ 11

Light up the TSV bridge and Townsville sign ......................................................... 11

Creating our own Community Event ................................................................ 12 Good Life Good Death Expo ................................................................................................................. 12

Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 13


BACKGROUND

Palliative Care Queensland is a peak body representing palliative care providers, consumers and their families and those with an interest in palliative care. Connecting End of Life in Townsville project (CELC-T) is administered by PCQ, funded by North Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN). The CELC-T project aims to improve the capacity of aged care and general practice service providers within The Greater Townsville region, to provide quality palliative care and end-of-life planning thereby assisting in the management of after-hours service need. Community focus: the Connecting End of Life Care in Townsville project provides Palliative Care Queensland an opportunity to connect with Townsville community to understand community needs, strength and weakness. It is a process of engaging and bringing people together. The key purpose of the community activities within this project include:

1. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: to start conversations around loss,

ageing, dying and grief in an open, honest and friendly environment, and

to help people understand that end of life shouldn’t be considered a taboo

subject.

2. INFORMATION SHARING: to showcase services, supports and

resources related to end of life in the form of exhibition booths,

presentations, discussions and handouts. To facilitate networking

opportunities for local service providers, community organisations, groups

and members.

3. EDUCATION: to share information, stories and best practice in relation to

palliative and end of life through education sessions free for community to

attend with health professionals.


PALLIATIVE CARE COMMUNITY SURVEY

Community survey was conducted in Townsville in 2018. The purpose of this community focused survey was to explore Townsville’s:

- Public knowledge about palliative care

- To gain an understanding about how the

Townsville public are accessing and sharing

information about palliative care

- Promote awareness of palliative care

Key findings of the survey included:

• 60% indicated they learned about palliative

care through their personal experience and the next highest response was

through friends, families and co-workers

• 50% of respondents rated good on their current knowledge about palliative care

• The majority (46%) of respondents indicated that they are ‘reasonably confident’

about both having a conversation and accessing information and support about

palliative care and end of life issues

• 82% respondents would choose quality of life over length of life

In addition, ‘Grey feedback’ received from social media engagement indicated that health professional’s explanations and approach to end of life care were not always understood by community members. Four key recommendations were identified for the next stage of the CELC-T project:

1. Build community confidence to source palliative care information and services,

to ensure the information their source is accurate and relevant to their needs.

2. Build on the community confidence in facilitating conversations about end of life

to empower the community to initiate these conversations with health

professionals.

3. Improve health professional’s ability to explain the process of end of life care.

4. Share patient experiences and stories about end of life.

A Survey Report is available for download from

www.palliativecareqld.org.au/celc_nq/

http://www.palliativecareqld.org.au/celc_nq/


COMMUNITY CONVERSATION STARTER ACTIVITIES

PUBLIC INFORMATION BOOTH: SHOPPING CENTRE AND MARKETS

SHOPPING CENTRE (WILLOWS AND STOCKLAND)

Palliative care Queensland (PCQ) used this method to raise palliative care awareness in the community. This also allowed PCQ to connect with the community and understand their needs and challenges. PCQ had an information booth at 2 major shopping centres in Townsville (Stockland and Willows), where around 2000+ people enter the shopping centre on week days. PCQ provided information resources like discussion starters, statement of choice and had a Before I Die wall and What Matters Most banners at the booth for attendees to share. What did we learn?

• Most attendees would like to know more about Palliative Care and Palliative Care Queensland

• Most attendees identified palliative care means end of life care

• Statement of choice, and the PCA discussion starters were popular resources

• People noted that the ‘What Matters Most display banner’ which hopefully initiated a few conversations also made it easier to engage with the information booth

• Some attendees asked about death café and how they can volunteer

• Free Henna tattoo provided an incentive to attracting people of all ages and inviting them to join our conversation on palliative care and what matters most. While having henna, it provided an opportunity to chat with the attendees and know about their perspective on palliative care


WILLOWS SUNDAY MARKET

Palliative Care Queensland had an information table at Willows Sunday Market. The market provided PCQ an opportunity to connect with community. Attendees come from diverse backgrounds and age groups. Approximately 100 people engaged with the booth. What did we learn?

• Attendees would like to know more about Palliative Care

and upcoming related activities

• Statement of choice, and the PCA discussion starters were popular resources

• The What Matters Most banner provided a good

opportunity to begin engagement with the booth


BEFORE I DIE BANNER

The Before I Die Walls is a participatory public art project that invites people to

reflect on life and share their personal aspirations in public. The before I die

banner helped in revealing one’s longings, anxieties, joys, and struggles, and

create public space that allowed self-examination and empathy among

community.

PCQ received permission to utilise this for the project. PCQ printed the Before I Die… onto banners to enable them to be more portable. The before I die banners were displayed at over 15 events and locations throughout the project. Some locations where this was displayed: North Queensland Primary Health Network, HealthLink Medical centre and Townsville Aboriginal AND Islander Health Services, Loreto Nursing Home, Townsville - Suburban Medical Practice, Carinity Fairfield, Parkland Aged Care and a GP Practice. What did we learn?

• The Before I Die banner is easy for people to engage with and prompts

conversation starters

• Completed Before I Die banners can be displayed like an art

exhibition for people to read and stimulates conversations

• Positive feedback from 1 GP, who could not gain permission to

display the banner in their waiting room, therefore displayed it

in his consult room – he noted that this helped start

conversations about palliative care with his patients.


AWARENESS CAMPAIGN: WHAT MATTER MOST?

Talking about end-of-life care is different for everyone—some people find it overwhelming and confronting, others may be more accepting. Palliative Care Queensland developed a banner “What matters most?” an A4 Card which asks people to reflect on what would be most important to them if they became seriously ill. By having a conversation with loved ones and health professionals, people can ensure their treatment and care best aligns with their values and preferences. It allows for delicate discussions about death and dying, and what would matter most to them during this difficult time. This awareness campaign was picked up by Palliative Care Australia and became the National Palliative Care Week theme. What did we learn?

• The Majority of people identified family as what matters

most when they are facing the end of their life.

• What Matters Most Banner with stars and speech

bubbles – with existing options is a good interactive

activity at events

• One comment from a health student “This made me

think of palliative care completely differently – its makes

me focused on what I want rather than what I don’t have

anymore”


PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY EVENTS

CHRONIC DISEASE MANAGEMENT EXPO – TOWNSVILLE ABORIGINAL &

ISLANDER HEALTH SERVICES (TAIHS)

The Connecting End of Life Care in Townsville

(CELC-T) project participated in the TAIHS chronic

disease management Expo. The expo provided an

opportunity to connect with staff and Indigenous

community in Townsville.

What did we learn?

• A very small number of attendees knew about

Statement of Choice or PCA discussion

starters

• Many attendees stated they would like to

complete an advance care plan but were not

sure where to start

• Most attendees would like to know more about palliative care

• Staff from TAIHS would like to know about upcoming education and

training sessions in relation to palliative care

NAIDOC WEEK: 13TH JULY 2018

NAIDOC week celebration was held in Townsville to celebrate the history,

culture and achievement of Aboriginal and Torres

Strait Islander peoples. The week provided an

opportunity for the CELC-T project to participate in a

NAIDOC march and provided opportunity to have

palliative care resources in the NQPHN information

booth.

Around 2500 people attended the all-day event. The

age ranges from 20-45 years attended the information

booth at the event.

What did we learn?

• Conversations, information sharing and networking

can occur while marching


BELGIAN SCHOOL PARADE

The CELC-T project was invited to attend the Belgian School Parade and present the award to the winner of the 2018 Townsville Good Life Good Death expo art competition. Approximately 40 submitted to teachers and the teachers selected 3 to represent Belgian School at the Good Life Good Death expo art competition. What did we learn?

• School art competitions are an effective method

to engage schools in conversations about caring and loss

• Teachers were engaged in the art competition and felt that it was

appropriate for students to participate in this activity.

DYING TO KNOW DAY

QUEENSLAND PALLIATIVE CARE FILM NIGHT- TOWNSVILLE

In support of Dying to Know Day 2018 CELC-T successfully hosted a film screening followed by Q&A session with local experts from public health, palliative care, aged care and community in Townsville on Tuesday 07 August 2018 at BCC cinemas. Love in Our Own Time was shown - a documentary on the big thing in life: birth, love and death. What did we learn?

• 44 people attended the movie session

• All attendees stated they would like to participate

in a similar event again

• All attendees enjoyed the Q&A session which

followed

• It provided a good opportunity for health staff to

bring their family or friends


JAMES COOK UNIVERSITY MARKET DAY

The CELC-T project participated in two James Cook University (JCU) orientation market days. The booth provided PCQ with an opportunity to connect and discuss Palliative Care with students of all ages and many studying health related topics. What did we learn?

• students were engaged and interested in the booth

• many students didn’t feel that advance care

planning was relevant to them, but after a

discussion understood how it’s relevant for

everyone

• Students appreciated that the CELC-T project was present at a university

and providing awareness and information

• Most students would like to know more about palliative care

• Most students said their friends and family matters most to them

MATER COMMUNITY CONNECT PROVIDER EXPO

The expo provided the CELC-T project an opportunity to connect with the nursing, allied health and pastoral care staff on referral agencies in the community. What did we learn?

• Many people asked about advance care planning tools and where they

could access these

• Many people said they wanted to learn more about palliative care and

asked where they could get quality information


COMMUNITY AGED CARE ROUND TABLE

The CELC-T project participated in the Golden Age Advisory round table focus group for aged care industry providers, to share and discuss the needs of better aged care services for senior Australians and their families in North Queensland. Although the attendees of the round table were mainly service providers it created a great opportunity to share community initiatives. What did we learn?

• Services providers are often keen to learn from

experiences of others and are willing to try

community awareness raising activities but often

do not know where to begin

TOWNSVILLE CITY COUNCIL:

LIGHT UP THE TSV BRIDGE AND TOWNSVILLE SIGN

During National Palliative Care Week 2018 the Townsville bridge was lit in Palliative Care Queensland colours (Blue and Marron). Also the new Townsville sign was lit in Blue for 2 days during this week. The CELC-T project team met with the deputy-mayor of Townsville to discuss the project – the Deputy-Mayor suggested the idea of using their bridge and sign lights to shine a spotlight on palliative care. What did we learn?

• Local Councils are very supportive of community initiatives and

compassionate communities

• Work with local councils with their existing community awareness

activities


CREATING OUR OWN COMMUNITY EVENT

GOOD LIFE GOOD DEATH EXPO

Palliative Care Queensland successfully conducted 2-day

Good Life Good Death Expo in Townsville.

The three main aspects of the Expo were:

1. Community Conversations Aspect

2. Exhibition and Information Aspect

3. Education Aspect

Over 400 people attended the Good Life Good Death expo in

Townsville.

• 47% Health Professional

• 53% Community Member

o Including 6% identifying as Carer and 2%

identifying they have a palliative condition.

In total 35 exhibitors attended the Expo. These included local, Queensland and National Exhibitors.

• 100% of exhibitors said that they enjoyed the Expo

• 94% of respondents said that they would exhibit again and/or recommend the

Expo to a friend or colleague

The Education aspect to the Expo was sponsored by the Connecting End of Life Care in Townsville project, administered by Palliative Care Queensland and funded by Northern Queensland Primary Health Network.

• 61 people attended the Education Breakfasts

• 157 people attended the Expert Panel Sessions across the two days

• 21 people attended the Palliative Care in Aged Care roundtable

“End of life is a big fact of life and it is being discussed in a very big way in

Townsville” Michael Clarke, ABC Radio North Queensland


CONCLUSION

The engagement of this project with the community through a variety of methodologies

enabled the project to gain deep understanding of opportunities and challenges of

community engagement within the framework of palliative care.

In general, people we engaged with as part of our community activities stated they had

a:

• greater level of understanding of the benefits of early conversations about health

care choices and understand who in the community can assist them to achieve

their wishes at end of life.

• better understanding of the benefits of palliative care and the positive impact it

can have on individuals and families in supporting people as they live with life-

limiting illnesses.

• increased confidence in starting discussions related to loss and dying

The Townsville community engagement with the project was exceptional and being a regional community could have created a bias that may not occur in a metropolitan setting. However, it is Palliative Care Queensland’s aim that key learnings from these engagement activities can be utilised in other community engagement events throughout Queensland.

Townsville Community Activity REport · 2019. 5. 15. · Smita Gupta, Project Coordinator MHA, MPH Marg Adams, Project Manager RN, NP, MNP(CDM), MCN(PallC), GDPC Shyla Mills, Project

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