SEPTEMBER – NOVEMBER 2018 • MCI (P) 072/01/2018 LIVE WELL. LEAVE WELL. DISCOVER, RESPECT, IGNITE LEAVING A LEGACY OF HOPE PLUS Views from the pros 1 THE HOSPICE LINK • SEPTEMBER–NOVEMBER EDITOR’S NOTE Members’ Contact Assisi Hospice Contents Building a legacy 832 Thomson Road, S(574627) T: 6832 2650 F: 6253 5312 www.assisihospice.org.sg [email protected] Bright Vision Hospital 5 Lorong Napiri, S(547530) T: 6248 5755 F: 6881 3872 www.bvh.org.sg [email protected] egacy building” is an important Dover Park Hospice aspect of palliative care. It 10 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, S(308436) T: 6500 7272 F: 6254 7650 focuses on creating meaningful www.doverpark.org.sg [email protected] “L and lasting memories for both HCA Hospice Care the patients and their loved ones. We all enjoy 12 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, S(308437) T: 6251 2561 F: 6352 2030 doing something meaningful with our families www.hca.org.sg [email protected] and friends, be it going on an outing, taking family photos, giving memorabilia or writing Metta Hospice Care 32 Simei Street 1, Metta Building, S(529950) letters. Sometimes, it can even be a way of T: 6580 4695 F: 6787 7542 creating space for reconciliation. These simple www.metta.org.sg [email protected] acts can mean a world to those who have limited time with their families. MWS Home Hospice 2 Kallang Avenue, CT Hub #08-14, S(339407) We are thankful for the many angels in our T: 6435 0270 F: 6435 0274 www.mws.sg [email protected] midst, from the palliative care medical teams to the volunteers, venturing great lengths Singapore Cancer Society to help fulfil the wishes of patients. This 15 Enggor Street, #04-01, Realty Centre, S(079716) T: 6221 9578 F: 6221 9575 work would not have been possible without www.singaporecancersociety.org.sg their sheer determination and heart for the [email protected] patients. Legacy building can start right now for St Andrew’s Community Hospital 8 Simei Street 3, S(529895) T: 6586 1000 F: 6586 1100 anyone. In June 2018, the Singapore Hospice www.sach.org.sg [email protected] Council launched our “Live Well. Leave Well” national campaign, with the aim of raising St Joseph’s Home 36 Jurong West St 24, S(648141) T: 6268 0482 F: 6268 4787 awareness and generating conversations on www.stjh.org.sg [email protected] end-of-life matters. There are tools to help you 4 along. One such tool is “Time of My Life – Past St Luke’s Hospital Perfect, a Journal of Self-Discovery”, which can 2 Bukit Batok Street 11, S(659674) T: 6895 3216 F: 6561 3625 www.slh.org.sg [email protected] 2 Members’ Contact be downloaded from our website at www.singaporehospice.org.sg. Changi General Hospital 3 Editor’s Note I wish the best for you even as you explore 2 Simei Street 3, S(529889) shared values together with your loved ones, T: 6788 8833 F: 6788 0933 www.cgh.com.sg 4 Live Well. Leave Well. and find a deeper meaning to building your Khoo Teck Puat Hospital legacies together. 90 Yishun Central, S(768828) 7 Talking about death? No problem. T: 6555 8000 F: 6602 3700 www.ktph.com.sg KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital 8 A legacy of hope Legacy building is Ms Yeo Tan Tan 100 Bukit Timah Road, S(229899) “ Chief Executive T: 6394 8008 F: 6291 7923 www.kkh.com.sg 10 A legacy of gratitude an important aspect Singapore Hospice Council Ng Teng Fong General Hospital 1 Jurong East Street 21, S(609606) 12 From war to peace T: 6716 2000 F: 6716 5500 www.ntfgh.com.sg of palliative care. It [email protected] 13 Flowers always blooming National Cancer Centre Singapore 11 Hospital Drive, S(169610) 14 A legacy of spirit focuses on creating T: 6436 8183 F: 6220 7490 www.nccs.com.sg 16 Discover, respect, ignite Tan Tock Seng Hospital lasting memories for 11 Jalan Tan Tock Seng, S(308433) T: 6359 6477 F: 6359 6294 www.ttsh.com.sg 18 Views from the Pros both the patients and Lien Centre for Palliative Care Tips for Caregivers Duke-NUS graduate Medical School Singapore 19 8 College Road Level 4, S(169857) T: 6516 4233 www.duke-nus.edu.sg/lcpc 20 Upcoming events their loved ones.” 2 3 THE HOSPICE LINK • SEPTEMBER–NOVEMBER 2018 THE HOSPICE LINK • SEPTEMBER–NOVEMBER EVENT Live well. Leave well. Singapore Hospice Council launches a campaign to raise awareness of end-of-life issues and to encourage end-of-life conversations hat do you say when a loved one is diagnosed with a terminal illness? W What are the important topics to talk about when considering end- of-life care? How do you approach the topic of end-of- life care with your loved ones? According to a survey conducted in 2014, 82% of respondents agree that the general public needs to know more about hospice and palliative care, and 71% agree that there should be national conversations about death and dying. But, almost half of the respondents have not started the conversations, for the simple reason that they do not know how to broach the topic. The two-day event attracted over 1,800 participants and featured informative and interactive booths with different patient care settings. Other programme highlights included: talks on palliative care in four languages, tips on starting early conversations on end-of-life care, performances by various performing groups. 4 5 THE HOSPICE LINK • SEPTEMBER–NOVEMBER 2018 THE HOSPICE LINK • SEPTEMBER–NOVEMBER EVENT REFLECTION On 9 and 10 June 2018, the Singapore Hospice Council (SHC), with active participation by our member organisations Talking about death? and community partners, organised a Community Engagement Event at Bedok Town Square to encourage early end-of-life conversations. No problem. The campaign, themed “Live Well. Leave Megan Teo, an intern at the St. Andrew’s Community Hospital’s Medical Well.”, was officially launched by Guest- of-Honour, Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister Social Work Department, reflects on talking about death. of State, Ministry of the Environment & Water Resources and Ministry of Health, together with Mr Lee Yi Shyan, Top: Launch of the SHC he community about such a morbid topic?” say “I’m sorry” to their loved ones, I Member of Parliament, East Coast Television Commercial engagement event, I was befuddled when the crowds was amazed and humbled. – Because I love you. Group Representation Constituency. From left: Dr Angel Lee, “Live Well, Leave Well” came. At our booth alone, we counted Before the event, death was also The launch included a two-minute Chairperson, SHC; SMS T held on 9 and 10 June 982 participants who were willing to very much a taboo topic for me for Health Amy Khor; Mr television commercial entitled Lee Yi Shyan, MP of East 2018 and organised by the Singapore engage in conversations about the and I would avoid such discussions. “Because I love you” and a community Coast GRC; Dr Patricia Hospice Council, left a lasting end-of-life care. It dawned on me that The large crowd participating in Neo, Vice-chairperson, engagement kit developed by SHC. SHC; & Ms Yeo Tan Tan, impression on me. The event allowed it is indeed important to be able to the event also showed me that Through community partnerships Chief Executive, SHC. me to view death as a natural express our feelings towards our increasingly people are open to such Left: Launch of the SHC and media engagement, SHC hopes Community Engagement process that all of us have to accept, loved ones. discussions. Although the topic of to use the developed materials to Kit. From left: Ms Yeo be it our own death or that of of our Tallking to people, I found the death and dying can sometimes Tan Tan, Chief Executive, generate public awareness and SHC; Dr Angel Lee, loved ones. phrase that struck me the most was, trigger negative emotions, it can be encourage Singaporeans to start Chairperson, SHC; SMS Together with the Palliative Care “I’m sorry”. I can understand it when a great relief to some who find it for Health Amy Khor; conversations early regarding end- Mr Lee Yi Shyan, MP Teams from Changi General Hospital people feel the need to say “Thank difficult to express their feelings. of-life care. of East Coast GRC; Dr and St. Andrew’s Community you”, “I love you” or “Good-bye”. But, This experience has given me Patricia Neo, Vice- chairperson, SHC. Hospital (SACH), SACH Medical Social “Sorry”? Who would ever say that greater insight into the topic of death Workers and volunteers, we “set up they are sorry? and how people respond to it. It has shop” in Bedok Town Square with I find it most challenging to say also encouraged me to talk about my several other organisations. “I’m sorry” to a loved one because it feelings with my loved ones as I have Before the event, I had wondered: is difficult to admit that I am wrong. come to realise that it is important to WHAT’S INSIDE THE “Who would want to be at such When I found that there were indeed convey my feelings and not wait till COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TOOLKIT? an event? Who would want to talk people who wished for the courage to the last minute. The Community Engagement kit is to equip community partners to help patients and care- givers to better understand what palliative care can offer and to provide tips on how to start early conversations about end-of-life matters.