Busselton Hospice Care Inc has is adapted its services to ensure community members in need of bereavement support and carer education can still access its vital services, whilst respecting the current restrictions on movement.
BHCI volunteers will continue to provide support to current and new Bereavement Support clients but will do so over the phone.
The non-profit organisation has also accelerated the delivery of its Community Outreach Carer Education Program, providing basic skills training for people caring for a very sick person at home. The program will be delivered via video conference to ensure people can access it without having to attend face-to-face sessions. Carers will also be able to connect to this service over the phone.
BHCI chief executive officer Rosie Brown said she was in the process of setting up a 'Community Connect' phone line, offering human contact on the end of the phone for people in need.
"Busselton Hospice has provided end of life and bereavement support services to our community for 20 years and this is the most challenging time any of us have faced as individuals and as Australians," she said.
"We are doing our best to be agile in adapting our programs so that we can continue to support the people in our community with a palliative diagnosis, their care network, the bereaved and anyone struggling with isolation.
"We're also very aware that when this pandemic is over, our services will be in greater demand than ever, so we will continue to work hard to grow a solid, ongoing donor base so we are to provide a sustainable service in the future."
Regular users of the Craig Street Geographe Bay Centre are asked to phone the centre to make alternative arrangements.
When the Community Connect service is established, it will be added to the Hospice website busseltonhospicecareinc.org.au and Hospice Facebook page. In the meantime please contact the Geographe Bay Centre on admin@busseltonhospicecareinc.org.au or 9751 1642.
