Palliative care unit meets needs of local community

6 Dec 2022

This service extends St John of God Health Care’s palliative offering in south east Melbourne where it is already available at its Berwick campus.

St John of God Frankston Rehabilitation Hospital Director of Clinical Services Karen Ward said the new 10-bed palliative unit at St John of God Frankston Rehabilitation Hospital was a natural extension to the care already offered across St John of God Health Care’s south east Melbourne hospitals.

The new palliative care unit opened in March 2022 and features a sensory garden and patient lounge, along with specialised palliative care equipment and access to services such as pastoral care, art and music therapy as well as other unique care options.

“Through generous donations we have also been able to secure a Cuddle Bed for our unit which enables family members to safely lie with their loved ones during their final moments of life,” Karen explains. 

St John of God Health Care also provides an array of additional support services such as Delta Dogs which provide social, emotional and physiological benefits, virtual reality goggles which aim to take patients on virtual journeys away from their hospital beds, and the Dream A Little Dream program which provides patients the opportunity to have a wish granted. 

St John of God Health Care has always maintained a holistic approach to the care it delivers and prides itself on offering services for each stage of a patient’s life, from birth and beyond. Working with a team of highly respected and experienced palliative care physicians and community organisations, St John of God Frankston Rehabilitation Hospital has worked hard to adapt its existing environment, and develop treatment options that ensure it can deliver best practice care for its patients and their loved ones. 

Enquiries and referrals

Referral form can be found at: 
www.sjog.org.au/frankstonreferrals
Tel: 03 9788 3380
Fax: 03 9788 3304   
Email: [email protected]