Palliative Caregivers Programme

Caring for a loved one with a life-limiting illness is very stressful. Many caregivers have to cope with heavy workloads and responsibilities, in addition to intense grief due to the nature of the patient’s illness. They need a strong network of support services to help them cope emotionally as well as appropriate information to help them become more effective caregivers. Recognizing this, the National Council of Social Service (NCSS) has appointed HCA Hospice Care to be the national agency providing palliative caregivers training in Singapore.

January 2012 sessions: click here to download application form.

February 2012 sessions: click here to download application form.

March 2012 sessions: click here to download application form.

Training Sessions

The Palliative Caregivers Programme equips caregivers with the skills and knowledge to look after their loved ones. Training sessions are conducted in English, Mandarin and Malay in our satellite centres. It is open to patients’ families and caregivers from all hospices and palliative care units, as well as anyone who is looking after patients at home. The training programme is funded by NCSS and participants do not have to pay a fee.

Participants will be given a holistic understanding about the needs of palliative care patients. The training focuses on practical patient-handling skills and aspects of effective communication between patient and caregiver.

The six-hour training programme is conducted over five hours and covers the following topics:

Each satellite centre has a demonstration-and-training room, that is set up as a typical bedroom and bathroom equipped with patient-friendly facilities. Caregivers and visitors practise to familiarise themselves with the various types of home-use equipment, such as a hospital bed, a wheelchair and an oxygen concentrator.