Hospice & Palliative Care

Biography

Biography: Mary Goggin

Abstract

“Palliative care for (fetus, neonate or infant) with life threatening conditions is an active and total approach to care, from the point of diagnosis or recognition, throughout the child’s life, death and beyond. It embraces the physical, emotional, social and spiritual elements and focuses on the enhancement of quality of life for the (neonatal infant) and support for the family. It includes the management of the distressing symptoms (provision of short breaks) and care through death and bereavement.” ACT 2009 Palliative care requires a holistic approach by the multidisciplinary team who care for the neonate and his/her family. Palliative care planning involves professionals from midwifery, fetal medicine, obstetric, neonatal, community and children’s hospice service, and families. Care provision may vary up until the end of life and there may be transition into and out of active supportive and end of life care. The transition from active care for the neonate to palliative care involves an emotional journey for parents and family. The focus of this talk is on the resultant tension between the desire for life and the acceptance of death. Where death occurs within a short time frame there may be little time for parents to process the events and the accompanying emotional journey. Parents require time to process the events, the death of their baby and the assimilation of the new reality. Bereavement follow-up and counselling support need to be timed to coincide with the parents’ requirements.