Description
In Romania, the existing specialized palliative care services cover only 5% of the persons needing these types of services (as of 2012). The objective of the project is to increase access to socio-medical palliative care service for patients with life-threatening or life-limiting illnesses, in line with national priorities, through a Centre of Excellence integrating clinical, counselling, educational and information services. The project is expected to: increase the terminally ill patients and their carers’ capacity for self-help; increase Hospice’s capacity to provide socio-medical care to terminally ill patients in Bucharest and educational programmes on palliative care topics; provide a model for the future development of integrated palliative care services in Romania. The project will provide specialized palliative care and support for self-help to 2,000 children and adults (10% estimated to be from the Roma community) with life-threatening or life-limiting illnesses and support/guidance for their family members / carers; train 50 professionals, 100 students from 2 partner nursing schools and 100 Hospice employees and volunteers.
Summary of project results
The project addressed the insufficient coverage of the need for palliative care in Romania and proposed a system of integrated socio-medical palliative care services for terminally ill patients and their families. The intervention was structured on three competency levels: support for self-help of patients and carers, palliative approach and specialised services. During the project, 3468 outpatient consultations were provided for 1689 patients (1468 adult patients and 221 children) and 1471 physiotherapy and sensory sessions were provided to adult and children patients. 1720 counselling sessions were organized for carers of adult and children patients. Courses in palliative care were attended by 67 employees of the 4 Social Work and Child Protection Agencies and by 350 students in the final year from 2 nursing schools. 88 staff members were recruited for the new inpatient unit. Activities with women patients affected by breast cancer were organised in the day centre: socializing events, relaxation and support sessions (individual and group gym activities as instructed by the physiotherapist, relaxation in the sensory room, make-up and beauty styling sessions, art therapy sessions). 6 types of informative materials destined for patients and families were produced, on issues related to self-care, pain control, chemotherapy, use of morphine, nutrition; they also included information regarding the activities available in the day center. The materials were distributed to the patients and families that benefit of Hospice services either in outpatient system, in the bed unit or attending the day center activities.
Summary of bilateral results