The Cootamundra community now has more choice in end-of-life care, with the opening of a new palliative care unit.
The unit has been funded by Adina Care, a community organisation run by a volunteer board of directors, and the Cootamundra Rotary Club.
Nationals Member for Cootamundra Steph Cooke joined representatives from Adina Care, Cootamundra Rotary, volunteers and local health care professionals to open the unit which has been a passion project for the community for the past six years.
Ms Cooke said the new unit was a testament to the community’s dedication to supporting those in palliative care.
“No one wants to think about the end of their life, but this palliative care room gives people the option of spending their final days outside of the hospital and residential aged care, but in a space that is supported by trained staff,” Ms Cooke said.
“The community of Cootamundra has worked incredibly hard to create an environment that will remove some of the stress of palliative care. This unit feels like a home and can be accessed by loved ones at any time
“I want to congratulate everyone who has been part of creating this unit, it truly has been a whole-community effort and the end result is a facility that will support people during one of the most challenging periods of their lives,” she said.
Adina Care chief executive officer Jennifer Apps said the unit has been a real labour of love.
“A lot of people don’t want to die in an acute care hospital and they plan to die at home. This gives them another choice that they can be somewhere that is like home but there is support available to them.”
This unit can be made available at short notice to anyone over the age of 21.
