Clare Holland House
Clare Holland House is located on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin. It is the location for Specialist Palliative Care Services in the ACT for which all patients must have a referral. Our palliative care services are tailored to each patient and are delivered by our team of Doctors, Nurses, Physiotherapists, Social Workers and Pastoral Care professionals. We focus on supporting patients and families who are dealing with a life limiting illness. Our goal is to help patients achieve dignity, comfort and maximise the quality of life as they progress into end of life. This service cares for all age groups.
Visitation arrangements will be discussed with the patient and their family or carers during their admission to Clare Holland House. The current preference is for visitation to be limited to two visitors per patient per day, with them not being with the patient at the same time. Our care team understand the importance of visitation to support and comfort patients and will strive to accommodate your preferred visitor arrangements.
Clare Holland House Inpatient services
The inpatient Hospice is a 27 bed facility that receives patients from the ACT and surrounding region. Patients are admitted for pain and symptom control, respite and end of life care. Patients access the inpatient services at Clare Holland House with a referral from a General Practitioner, a Medical Specialist, or Medical Officers in a public or private hospital.
Please note that patients cannot attend Clare Holland House without a referral. The referral form is available at the link below.
For Inpatient referrals, please complete and email to the below address
Community Specialist Palliative Care
Our community services are is designed to deliver care in the patient’s place of residence. There are two teams that work under this community banner.
Home Based Palliative Care
This team provides an in home palliative care service to residents of the ACT. This Team is focused on ensuring that patients are able to stay at home as their illness progresses. The team provide advice and support to the primary care team. Teach families skills in how to care for patients according to their needs. They provide access in home equipment to facilitate the patient staying at home as long as possible. Patients in this service have access to phone support 24hrs per day. Access to this service is a referral pathway from GP or specialist doctor. The referral form is available at the link below.
For Community referrals, please complete and email to the below address
PalliativE Aged Care SpEcialists (PEACE)
The PEACE team provides Specialist services into all Residential Aged care facilities (RACF) in the ACT. This service aims to have an integrated approach to care delivery using palliative care needs rounds, case conferencing and direct referral. To access this service a referral can be received from GP, Specialist, RACF or family.
For Palliative Aged Care Service referral, please complete and email to the below address
Palliative Care Needs Rounds is a unique, evidence-based way of improving palliative care for people living in residential care facilities for older people developed by the team at Clare Holland House, Calvary Public Hospital Bruce, ACT.
Outpatient Clinics
Clare Holland House has Specialist outpatient appointments each day. These are offered as both face to face and Telemedicine. Access to this service is from GP or Specialist Doctor referral find the form below.
During the planning of your outpatient clinic appointment your GP or Specialist may provide you witha letter or other information to bring to your appointment.
Our team will also contact you if there are any items or information they need you to provide.
For Community referrals, please complete and email to the below address
Frequently asked questions and helpful information
If your doctor or specialist has mentioned ‘palliative care’ in the management of your health, you are likely to have many questions. Below are some of the questions people often ask us prior to or after they commence palliative care treatment.
What is palliative care?
Palliative care is a patient-focussed multidisciplinary treatment plan that helps people live as fully and as comfortably as possible with a life-limiting illness. Palliative care is for people of any age. It can be provided in your home, a hospital, a hospice or an aged care facility
Is palliative care only for a patient diagnosed with cancer?
Clare Holland House is not just for cancer patients. We care for patients with any terminal life-limiting illness. Among these illnesses are cardiac and respiratory diseases, renal and liver diseases, and neurological conditions such as MND, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and stroke.
Who is in the palliative care team?
The palliative care team can include many health professionals to help you and your family manage your illness. These include:
- doctors and specialists
- nurses
- a multi-disciplinary psycho-social support service comprising Pastoral Care, Social Work and Psychology, and bereavement counselling. These services remain available to family and carers after a patient has died
- physiotherapists
- occupational and speech therapists
- Palliative Care ACT trained volunteers
How can this service help my family/patient?
Palliative care identifies and treats symptoms which may be physical, emotional, spiritual or social. Palliative care is based on a person’s individual needs, the services offered may include:
- Relief of pain and other symptoms e.g. vomiting, shortness of breath
- Resources such as equipment needed to aid care at home
- Assistance for families to come together to talk about sensitive issues
- Links to other services such as home help and financial support
- Support for people to meet cultural obligations
- Support for emotional, social and spiritual concerns
- Counselling and grief support
- Referrals to respite care services
Palliative care is a family-centred model of care, meaning that family and carers can receive practical and emotional support.
How do I get access to Clare Holland house services?
Talk to your GP or specialist for a referral to services or for admission to Clare Holland House
How long can I stay at Clare Holland House?
The average length of stay at Clare Holland House is two weeks. Together we develop a plan about what is right for a patient and this may mean transfer home or to another facility (Residential Aged Care) if appropriate.
Is there a café on site/what do visitors do for meals
Clare Holland House does not have a café on site. There is tea and coffee facilities and a vending machine. Food, petrol and other services are available at Majura Park which is around five minutes drive from Clare Holland House
Can visitors stay with a patient overnight?
Yes, visitors can stay overnight. However we do restrict visitors in your room to one person overnight as this ensures appropriate and safe access for staff to attend to your care needs throughout the night.
Please note that from August 2021 approval for an overnight visitor stay will only be granted in exceptional circumstances
Can palliative care hasten the dying process?
Palliative care does not speed up or slow down the dying process. Palliative care aims to manage symptoms and discomfort to enhance a patient’s quality of life and minimise their suffering. Palliative care neither hastens death nor prolongs life but instead aims to improve quality of life for a patient.
How long before my love one dies?
Patients and families often want to know how long a patient is expected to live. This is a hard question to answer. Every patient is an individual and their journey unique. Out team will conduct regular patient assessment and monitor their overall condition for signs of deterioration. Staff may be able to make an estimate based on what they know about the patient, however this cannot always be accurate.
What can family members do to help their loved one at end of life?
- Don’t give food and fluids unless the patient requests it
- Wet the lips and mouth with a small amount of water, ice chips or mouth spray
- Protect patients lips from dryness by applying protective lip balm
- Be gentle, use reassuring touch
- It is believed that the last senses to be lost are touch and hearing
- Talk to the patient
- Discuss memories and life events
- Listen to music
Program of Experience Palliative Approach (PEPA)
Clare Holland House coordinates the PEPA program for the ACT. This is a commonwealth funded program to inform health care clinician’s basic understanding of palliative care. It offers workshops and placements to develop clinical staff experience in Palliative care delivery. If you are interested in a Workshop follow the link to see dates and access an enrolment form
Research
Headed by Professor Nicholas Glasgow, Clare Holland House is actively engaged in research with the aim of improving the practice and delivery of palliative care with a particular focus on the local community.
- Education & Assessment for psychosocial and existential wellbeing in palliative care. In collaboration with Professor David Kissane – The University of Notre Dame Australia and The Cunningham Centre for Palliative Care Research at St Vincent’s Sydney.
- Identifying the mental health effects and supportive needs of people bereaved during and following COVID-19. With Professor Elizabeth Lobb, University of Technology Sydney. Click here to access more about this project.
More Information
- Current visiting arrangements allow two visitors per patient per day. Visiting times will be discussed with family members as part of the patient admission process.Visitor times and numbers will be adjusted in the context of the patient’s condition. Please discuss any particular visiting arrangements that are required to suit the patient, their family and close friends.
- Palliative Care ACT – has been a representative voice for palliative care in the ACT since 1985, with the mission to influence, foster and promote the delivery of quality care at the end of life for all, and to offer compassion and support to those with a life limiting illness, their carers and families.
- Violet
Bereavement support and grief counselling may help the loved ones of patient cope with the end of life or understand the various emotions they may experience after the death of someone very dear to them.
Clare Holland House
5 Menindee Drive, Barton ACT 2600
02 6264 7300