The concept behind Leo’s Place in Braddon is becoming permanent, with a non-clinical palliative care respite facility to be built in Garran. Photo: Palliative Care ACT Facebook.
It’s been almost 10 years in the making, but Canberra will soon be home to the country’s first permanent non-clinical palliative care respite facility.
The key word here is ‘permanent’.
While Palliative Care ACT has run Leo’s Place in Braddon since 2021, it was established as a pop-up proof of concept in an existing home.
Now it has partnered with The John James Foundation to build a new purpose-built facility in Garran, with funding support from the ACT Government.
“[Australia] is more institutionalised than anywhere else in the world when it comes to dying,” Palliative Care ACT board president Dr Louise Mayo said.
“We’ve found people prefer dying at home … 70 per cent of people want to die at home, but only 12 per cent do.”
Dr Mayo said research showed early access to quality palliative care reduced hospital admissions and could even extend a person’s life.
Research from Leo’s Place showed a non-clinical home away from home for people with life-limiting illnesses and their families had many benefits.
A unique aspect of Leo’s Place – and now this new facility – is that it’s not just for people receiving palliative care but also for family members and carers.
“A carer can come on their own … it’s about managing carer fatigue and isolation as well,” Dr Mayo said.
People can book to stay for a few hours, a day or overnight.
A person receiving palliative care can stay on their own, with their carer, or their carer can come on their own.
It not only allows people who have a life-limiting illness and their carers to meet other people going through a similar experience, but it allows them to be connected with other support services.
“We’ve tried to be really adaptive and flexible,” Dr Mayo said.
“Palliative care is very person-centred.”
Leo’s Place, which is usually at 100 per cent capacity, has a long waitlist for its four bedrooms.
It’s hoped the new Garran facility will have a minimum of six bedrooms.
“We need more space. This new house will be larger but not institutional. It will feel like a home,” Dr Mayo said.
“Our goal is to provide every Canberra living with a life-limiting illness easy access to quality care at any point in their journey, with timely referral to specialist palliative care when required.”
Conversations are still in the early stage, with no timeline yet on when the service will open.
“We’d like it yesterday,” Dr Mayo said.
“There are very few respite options [in Canberra], and for under 65s, there’s basically none.”
Clare Holland House also provides palliative care services in the ACT, as do aged care providers.
Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said Leo’s Place had been an “innovative approach” and a “lifeline” for hundreds of families in the ACT.
She said $2.59 million over four years had been provided in the 2022-23 Budget to make the permanent facility a reality.
“I was very pleased to hear about the partnership between Palliative Care ACT and the John James Foundation to progress the next steps in the model with a purpose-built home,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“I look forward to continuing to work with Palliative Care ACT in its efforts to ensure people with life-limiting conditions can be cared at home for longer.”
Dr Mayo couldn’t wait to start creating a new “beautiful” space for Canberrans with a life-limiting illness and their carers to access.
“One person told us that ‘this is a happy place which reminds me to be alive’,” she said.
“It’s a place to share knowledge, share peace, and put those supports in place for those who need it.”
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