A NEW toolkit launched today (May 26) will provide carers with information to help them recognise cultural differences and understand the importance of cultural traditions during end-of-life care.

The informational booklet comes from not-for-profit charity Palliative Care ACT, and targets discussions that are becoming increasingly prominent as the Canberra population grows, according to Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith. 

“Canberra is a diverse city and it becomes more so each year,” she says.

“People’s cultural backgrounds, their traditions and their religious beliefs shape who they are and how they live their lives. 

“And the same is true for people’s preferences surrounding death and end of life care.”

The aim of the toolkit is to provide carers and support staff with information to help them recognise preferential differences, as well as cultural needs.

With more than 200 diverse cultures represented in the local region, Palliative Care ACT board president Louise Mayo is clear about one thing, that palliative care services need to be accessible to everyone in the community, no matter their background.

“Our palliative care workers and volunteers have a deep understanding of the difficult situations people face when they have a life-limiting illness, or are near the end of their life,” she says.

“Cultural traditions at the end of life are very important, and carers need to be aware of the family’s and person’s preferences.”

The guide was created in collaboration with the University of Canberra’s School of Nursing, Midwifery and Public Health and was written by honour’s student Liz Lambert.

It is the third in a series of information packets for carers composed over the last four years by the local charity, and was compiled from consultations with focus groups and cultural leaders, says Liz.

In discussing how to help carers, Liz says they looked at providing them with communication techniques.

“How you talk with people during their end of life care can be really difficult, especially when looking at people from different cultural backgrounds,” she says. 

The 12-part booklet also covers faith-based needs such as needs around food and spiritual support, information around death and bereavement, and a background on different religious beliefs, such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam.

But the most important aspect, Liz says, is to empower carers to ask patients, on an individual level, what their wishes are, and to have the background knowledge to act upon it.