The chairs, complete with special features, will fill each of the health service’s four dedicated palliative care rooms after a huge donation from the Sinclair family.
Ros Sinclair and her sisters donated almost $10 000 to buy the chairs after their mother was cared for, and subsequently passed away, in the Mary Coram Unit at GV Health.
“My mum was in here after she had a stroke,” Ms Sinclair said.
“She was a very charitable person so we decided we wanted to give back.”
Donated in memory of the late Margaret Sinclair, Ms Sinclair said her family was pleased others would enjoy the chairs for years to come.
Ms Sinclair said she engaged in discussions with GV Health Foundation director Carmel Johnson to determine what was most needed in the Mary Coram Unit.
GV Health's Mary Coram Unit nurse unit manager Hayley Williamson said the chairs were comfortable to sit and recline in but also offered practicalities.
“If patients want to sleep out of their bed they can do so in the chair,” she said.
“The chair also helps patients to stand up if they can’t do it on their own.”
The donation coincides with National Palliative Care Week which is held from Sunday, May 24 to Saturday, May 30.
This year’s theme is ‘Palliative Care … It’s more than what you think’ — demonstrating that palliative care can also help people with life-limiting illnesses to live as well as possible, for as long as possible, supporting their physical, emotional, spiritual and social needs.
The aim of this year’s theme is to spark important conversations in the community about the benefits of quality palliative care and celebrate the dedication of all those working and volunteering in palliative care across Australia.
For more information, visit https://palliativecare.org.au/national-palliative-care-week-2020
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