Every year on 1 November is World Compassionate Communities Day, a day to highlight the work of compassionate communities (also known as ComComs) around the world who mobilise and connect people through local compassionate actions related to dying, death, caregiving and grief.
In western Victoria we have two Compassionate Communities, Compassionate Hearts on the Bellarine and Shannon’s Bridge in Creswick.
Dr Claire Hepper, a GP and co-founder of Shannon’s Bridge, says that the organisation is one of many compassionate communities in Australia with the goal of supporting people to have the confidence to care for each other with end-of-life issues.
“By promoting death literacy and keeping conversations going about death, dying, caring and grieving, we have seen increased connection in our neighbourhoods. People are feeling more supported and understood and this leads to increased likelihood of accepting help when it is offered,” says Dr Hepper.
“Since we started in 2018, every year Shannon’s Bridge has seen 98% of people supported to die in their preferred place of care. While research and projects in public health palliative care are important, we are excited to see a shift towards ‘getting stuff done’ and passing that knowledge on as the best way of improving outcomes for neighbourhoods near and far,” says Dr Hepper.
Compassionate Hearts on the Bellarine has trained volunteers who provide support to people who are dying and/or their carers. Barbara Douglas and Marita Scott, Volunteer Coordinators at Compassionate Hearts, say that the support that the organisation’s trained volunteers provide is built around the needs of the ill person and their carer. Volunteers may assist by providing non-judgmental friendship and presence or providing respite by staying with the ill person as the carer leaves the home for short periods to shop or to attend other activities.
Volunteering for Compassionate Hearts can be very rewarding, says one volunteer, Jenny.
“My first experience was with a lady whose husband was in hospital with terminal cancer. Until COVID-19 restricted her from visiting, I was able to take her for short visits to hospital. Sadly, he has now died but I keep in touch with her through another voluntary organisation and feel privileged that I have helped her negotiate life without him.”
Jenny had another experience with a younger lady living alone with an aggressive cancer.
“She moved to the Bellarine with the knowledge of her diagnosis and prognosis. We talked often, walked along the foreshore when she was able, went shopping together and I was able to take her to medical appointments,” says Jenny.
Dick is another volunteer for Compassionate Hearts who has found his work rewarding.
“Just a little while ago, my most recent client died. We’d spent quite a few hours enjoying each other’s company, just chatting and getting to know each other. We’d talked a lot about his early life, his work, his travels and, in particular, his love of all things nautical. He was a really delightful man to share time with. He was generous and reflective. We went for drives around the coast and drank our takeaway coffees in the car, looking out at the ships in the bay. It’s sad that I won’t see him again. I’ll miss him. That’s possibly the hardest part of all this. But I’m so pleased we met,” says Dick.
How to get involved
Compassionate Hearts on the Bellarine
Referral to Compassionate Hearts on the Bellarine can be via a medical or nursing service or people are able to self-refer by contacting the Volunteer Coordinator.
If you’d like to learn more, ask for help or volunteer, visit their website or ring their Volunteer Coordinator on 0499 775 275.
Shannon’s Bridge
If you want to know more, ask for help or volunteer visit their website or email [email protected].