Easing the Transition: How Palliative Care Organizations Support End-of-Life Management

Caring for a loved one with a life-limiting illness can bring numerous challenges and uncertainties. This experience may feel emotionally overwhelming, as you juggle various responsibilities. We are committed to focusing on your needs within our palliative care services, offering the resources and support you need to manage this evolving situation. This article aims to assist you in delivering the best care for your loved one while also addressing your own emotional and physical well-being as a caregiver.

  1. Assisi Hospice

Assisi Hospice provides palliative care for patients and families that preserves their dignity and quality of life.  When faced with life limiting illnesses, our patients receive medical care, as well as psychosocial, emotional and spiritual care. Find out more about them at https://www.assisihospice.org.sg/ 

2. Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu-Chi Foundation (Singapore)

Tzu Chi’s Palliative Care team serves terminal patients who have been diagnosed with less than a year to live through regular home visits and health checks, to minimise the hospitalisation needs of these patients, so that they can spend the remaining days of their lives in peace at home. Find out more about them at https://www.tzuchi.org.sg/en/our-missions/medicine/palliative-care/ 

3. Dover Park Hospice

Dover Park’s  inpatient hospice care provides patients with round-the-clock medical, nursing, psychosocial and spiritual care through a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals. We serve patients with advanced cancer, end-stage organ failure or advanced dementia with a prognosis of less than 3-6 months and patients who are unable to be cared for at home due to symptoms or nursing needs. Visit us at https://www.doverpark.org.sg/ to find out more.

4. HCA Hospice Limited

HCA Hospice (HCA) is Singapore’s largest home hospice care provider and has been a registered charity since 1989. Our 24/7 hotline ensures help is available round-the-clock. Besides medical care for patients, we provide psychological support for our patients and their caregivers as well, in the form of bereavement support and outreach programmes. As an NCSS Centre of Specialisation for palliative care, we conduct palliative care training for caregivers to equip them with the requisite skills. Find out more about us at https://www.hca.org.sg/ 

5. Metta Hospice Care

Metta Hospice Care (慈光安宁居家护理中心) is a member of Singapore Hospice Council and Asia Pacific Hospice Network. Set up in June 2000 to offer free home hospice care to the terminally ill of all ages and races, we have since helped more than 5000 patients to live with quality and dignity throughout the last phase of their lives at the comfort of their homes. Find out more about us here: https://www.metta.org.sg/medical-care/#hospicecare 

6. St Andrew’s Community Hospital

Established in 1992, SACH was the first community hospital set up to provide affordable intermediate medical care. We are focused on providing rehabilitation and sub-acute care to children, adults and the elderly; including those with dementia or needing palliative care. Our outpatient services include day rehabilitation, community therapy, primary healthcare, home healthcare and other senior care services. Find out more about us here: https://www.sach.org.sg/about-us/ 

7. Tsao Foundation (Hua Mei Mobile Clinic)

Established in 1993 as a non-profit family foundation, our efforts have first focused on promoting successful ageing, and active ageing framed by the World Health Organization. An Institution of Public Character (IPC), the Tsao Foundation is dedicated to transforming the experience of longevity for it to be an actualisation of our full potential for growth, health and fulfilment in a society for all ages. Find out more about us here: https://tsaofoundation.org/about-us

Palliative care organisations play an essential role in easing the transition at the end of life, offering comprehensive support that extends beyond medical care to encompass emotional, psychological, and spiritual well-being. By prioritising comfort, dignity, and quality of life, these organisations help patients and their families navigate the complexities of end-of-life decisions with compassion and expertise. Their commitment to personalised care ensures that each individual’s final journey is met with empathy, respect, and a sense of peace, making a significant difference in the lives of those they serve.