Patients, seniors celebrate World Hospice and Palliative Care Day

It was a special day on Friday for the dozen odd patients who are admitted to the Hospice in Sector 43 for palliative care as most of them are terminally ill. Not only did they come out of their beds to enjoy the singing and dancing going on outside by the senior citizens of the Old Age Home, Sector 15, some of them were seen clapping and cheering for the senior citizens.

Such was the energy at the premises that everyone, irrespective of the pain they were going through, participated enthusiastically as the doctors, nursing staff, volunteers and senior citizens all gathered to celebrate World Hospice and Palliative Care Day.

Says Dr Feroza Patel of the department of Radiotherapy, PGIMER, "The idea is to give care to these patients most of whom are at the end stages of cancer. So instead of them coming to PGIMER for follow-ups and admissions, they are provided with medical care and other facilities in a homely environment. A doctors and other staff is available at all times in the Hospice."

Meanwhile the inmates of the Sector 15 Old Age Home were also invited and escorted to the Chandigarh Hospice on Friday for the function. A Satsang was also held by followers of the Art of Living. The senior citizens also played games including passing the parcel, which were organised by the volunteers of the Hospice.

The function was attended by Mohammed Shayin, Deputy Commissioner, and other members of the Chandigarh Administration, along with the faculty and doctors of the PGI Radiotherapy Department. Gifts were also distributed to the seniors.

The theme for this year is, "Living to the end: palliative care for an aging population". Palliative Care is an approach that provides humane and compassionate care for people in the last phases of an incurable disease, or those that need support, so that they may live as fully and comfortably as possible till the end.

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