Palliative Care is not just a palliative. It’s not synonymous of terminal care.
It’s a global approach to illness that addresses physical, emotional, spiritual, and social concerns that arise with advanced illness. It aims to control symptoms and relieve pain, providing a better quality of life, attention and care, through specific age appropriate assistance.
RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD CHARTER FOR PALLIATIVE CARE FOR OLDER PEOPLE
A world first: religions together for Palliative Care for older people.
On March 30th 2017 representatives from all the major religions, human rights activists, doctors, patients and families met in Rome at Pontifical Academy for Life (Vatican City), and created and signed the “Religions of the World Charter for Palliative Care for Older People”: a document of global value.
Support and share the universal right to Palliative Care: the best solution to guarantee dignity and a better quality of life to older people with advanced chronic conditions or approaching the end of their life.
RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD CHARTER PALLIATIVE CARE FOR OLDER PEOPLE
WHEREAS
Between 2000 and 2050 the proportion of the world’s population aged over 60 years will double and the number of persons aged 80 years or over is projected to increase by almost fourfold.
Each older person has full value and human rights, and contributes to society including when fragile and in need of care.
Serious chronic conditions, end of life, death and bereavement affect every aspect of peoples’ lives, including the family, friends and community in which they live.
Older persons frequently have poor access to appropriate health care services and Palliative Care is no exception to this. They often report symptoms less, problems are put down to ‘age’. Psychological, social and spiritual issues are less recognised.
By the year 2050 the world’s population aged over 60 will double and the one over 80 will increase by almost fourfold *.
Therefore the need to take care of people affected with chronic or incurable illness in the final part of their life will increase.
Palliative Care is the best answer to face suffering and to ensure the care of the person in its totality with respect to their emotional and spiritual life, in every part of the world, regardless of any socio-economic condition or religious belief.
The Charter will reinforce universal consensus on this type of care to build awareness with Institutions and Public Opinion globally, also via leaders and religious organizations.
The Charter has recently been the ‘Guest of Honour’ at events in:
SIGN THE CHARTER AND JOIN US IN SUPPORTING PALLIATIVE CARE FOR OLDER PEOPLE
Every older person with chronic or incurable illness has the right to receive Palliative Care.
The goal of Palliative Care is to take care of the person in totality even when there is no longer a cure. This care foresees a team of different and diverse professional figures: doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, social and religious assistants helping patients and their families.
Palliative Care is not a palliative.
Together we have the opportunity to spread the meaning and the profound value of Palliative Care and sensitize every country so that it may become an integral part of every national healthcare system.
