By Lions Home for the Elders (with inputs from Tan Tock Seng Hospital Community Operations)
Nestled in the heart of the Bishan neighbourhood is a five-storey building that is home to some 230 residents at different stages of their lives. Amongst other community services, Lions Home for the Elders provides care for Nursing Home residents requiring long-term care who may choose to pass away in the home.
To help residents age and leave well in familiar surroundings, Lions Home and Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) have been working together as part of Project CARE (Care At the end of life for Residents in the homes for the Elderly) for more than ten years.
Project CARE drives learning initiatives through joint case discussions as well as training. For example, Lions Home nurses have learned to identify residents who require early end-of-life interventions and conduct certain procedures to better care for patients at the end of life. When required, Project CARE team also works with Lions Home team to provide on-site palliative care such as symptom management for end-of-life residents.
Aside from clinical care, an important part of planning for the end of life is Advance Care Planning and Preferred Plan of Care conversations to ensure that residents’ wishes are heard and honoured. For example, residents may express that they wish to spend their final days within the home, and the team can plan their care accordingly to avoid unnecessary hospital visits and admissions. To enable these conversations, Project CARE and Lions Home collectively facilitates these care planning conversations with residents and their next-of-kins.
Lions Home’s Nursing Home resident shares a deep bond with his care team.As our population ages, allowing residents to age and leave well in a familiar, comfortable environment can make a big difference in their quality of life. The collaborative care model and training structure of Project CARE has allowed Lions Home’s care team to gain the knowledge, confidence and understanding needed to ensure a dignified passing for residents who wish to spend their last days within the home.
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Issue 19: May 2023