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Jack is 42, and dying of cancer. He‘s® afraid, tormented by pain, and tortured by concern for the future of his wife and children. Family members share his pain and fears, and struggle with an overwhelming sense of helplessâ€" ness and hopelessness. Jack does not exist. However, the dilemma faced by this fictional family is a very real one. It is to help its terminallyâ€"ill patients and their families cope with the reality of death that Kitchenerâ€"Waterloo Hospital has introâ€" duced its Palliative Care Program. According to palliative care coâ€"ordinâ€" ator Florence Reed, the program‘s purpose is provide dying patients with the care, comfort and support they need to live the remaining days to the fullest and conclude the unfinished business of their lives. "Quality of life, that‘s what we try to provide when a cure is not possible,"" she said. "Our job is to comfort, rather than cure," added Bob Ross, the hospital‘s chaplain and a member of the proâ€" gram‘s sixâ€"person palliative care conâ€" sultative team. "It does heal, but it doesn‘t mean a physical healing. There‘s a deaper kind of healing that can occur in a patient and a patient‘s family. It‘s healing in an emotional sense." Palliative care is not a new idea. Recognizing the breadth of knowledge and skills needed deal with the oftenâ€" complex needs of dying patients and their families, the first palliative care program was developed more than 25 years ago in an English hospital, explained Dr. Helen Reesor. In Canada during the past decade there‘s been an emphasis placed on developing proâ€" grams to deal better with the terminâ€" allyâ€"ill patient. Kâ€"W Hospital established its team in 1985 under the direction of a fullâ€"time nursing coâ€"ordinator. A similar program is just getting underway at St. Mary‘s hospital, while one is being developed for Freeport Hospital. The team offers a multiâ€"disciplinary service designed to serve the physical, social, psychological and spiritual needs of patients. Serving with Reed and Ross on the consultative team are a physiâ€" cian, social worker, pharmacist and physiotherapist. Involvement of the palliative care team begins with a doctor‘s referral to Reed. She will then visit the patient, complete an assessment of the patient‘s physical comfort and emotional condiâ€" tion, and discuss the situation with nursing staff and the referring physiâ€" Care and comfort is what Kâ€"W Hospital Palliative Care Program coâ€"ordinator Florence Reed offers the hospital‘s terminallyâ€"ill patients and their families. Chronicie photo Palliative Care program emphasizes ‘quality of life‘ Melodee Martinuk Chronicle Staff WATERLOO CHRONICLE, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 1987 â€" PAGE 5 1‘“ _ " \“ \\0 ‘68‘-7 5 eÂ¥ ‘ s Mi9 . Af *“ PERM SPECIAL 95 O .. s OuR NEW CUSTOMERS RECEIVE ?\'“ FREE cirts, vauues to $20.00 20â€" l“g s\. “ d &on\ocm ¢1t -a‘vgof BY SCHWARZKOPF WRITTEN GUARANTEE Nhetse". D Y d‘e t LEADING FEBRUARY Added Ross: "Often they minister to me...I‘ve learned that it‘s imperative to live my life as fully and responsibly as I can." ‘"In just the short time I‘ve been involved in palliative care, it‘s enriched my life. I feel that I‘ve grown. Someâ€" times it‘s lonely, and you feel that nobody really understands, but it‘s always satisfying. To talk to a patient and see their comfort and relief from suffering, that I‘ve been able to help themâ€"its‘ rewarding. It‘s teaches you and makes you take a close look at you own life,"" she concluded. cian. Based on this assessment and the discussions Reed and the team will develop a plan for treatment. Team members contribute their services as necessary. According to Reed the palliative care program has been very effective at Kâ€"W Hospital, and referrals are steadily increasing as word of the program spreads. Since September, the team has cared for 91 patients, most of whom have cancer. Already they are looking at ways to broaden the program, however Reed admits, expansion is severely limited by finances. Applications to the Ontario government for money to develâ€" op the program, were rejected, and all funding now comes out of the hospital‘s budget. Because of this the team is hoping to establish a volunteer program, although timing is uncertain because training and coâ€"ordination of volunteer services is a major undertaking which they do not now have the time to begin. Reed admitted that her job is, at times, a lonely one. It‘s also very clear that she, and each of the team members, receives as much back from their patients as they give. *‘*For example, if I find a patient is very depressed or worrying about fiâ€" nances or his family, I‘ll ask the social worker to see the patient. If spiritual comfort is needed, the chaplain is called in. Often just having someone to talk to who understands what they‘re going through makes all the difference. We‘ll help the patient get home care, and if necessary, help if they need to be reâ€"admitted," said Reed, who coâ€"ordiâ€" nates treatment and meets regularly with the patient and family. "In many families there are areas of fractured relationships. We can act as agents of reconciliation, so when death comes both the family and the patient have a sense of tying things off," said Ross. Also working with the team is a volunteer bereavement counsellor, who helps the family after death has ocâ€" curred. lt " _ * rh'\cv“o‘ *C!\ve Crucke" ED LAMOUR