Home Care Program
PPCS provides care and support for patients and their care-givers / families in the comfort of their own homes. The focus of care is on easing pain, controlling other symptoms and providing psychosocial and spiritual support to maximize the patient’s quality of life. Care is delivered by an interdisciplinary team comprising doctors, nurses and volunteers such as physiotherapists, pharmacists etc. The aim of the home care team is to ensure that the patient is made as comfortable as possible so that his/her quality of life is enhanced.
Our Home Care Program is currently focused on patients with advanced cancer and who live within the PPCS coverage area (Ipoh, Kampar, Tapah, Sungai Siput, Kuala Kangsar, Batu Gajah, Tronoh till Bota), irrespective of race, religion, or economic status.
The patient has to be registered with PPCS, preferably with a doctor’s referral letter (refer to link below) or any documentation on their cancer diagnosis, and has a care-giver at home so that the PPCS palliative team can make arrangements for home visits. Registration can be done by family members at the PPCS Centre or via email to admin@ppcs.org.my.
The frequency of visits by the Home Care Team will depend on individual need.
What we do during the home visits include:
- Pain and other symptoms management
- Provide nursing care, for example insertion / change of feeding tubes, urinary catheter, etc.
- Train care-giver on basic nursing care, like home dressing, care of tubes, handling of patients.
- Understand psycho-social & spiritual issues faced and provide advice, counselling if when necessary
- Discuss advanced care plan at a suitable time
- Bereavement support
Sunshine Hour Program
Patients who have a life-limiting disease in terms of quantity as well as quality of life, can often feel socially isolated. We encourage them to get out of their homes and be in touch with people who understand their feelings and situation. They need social interaction to improve their quality of life. This also applies to their care-givers and family members.
The Sunshine Hour Program provides a space and time for therapeutic activities such as craft, music, songs and games which allows them to enjoy some good and fun moments. They are also encouraged to share their feelings and stories with volunteers who are trained to empathize. In a way, this is grief counseling in an informal setting.
The Sunshine Hour was introduced in 2008 and is held once a month at the PPCS Centre.
After a lapse in monthly Sunshine Hour gatherings due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the program resumed on 30 November 2022.
For latest updates on the Sunshine Hour Program activities, click here.