The pain healers

In palliative care, patient autonomy is very important, especially when they’re still lucid. Photo: 123rf.com

For patients who are terminally ill, palliative care by a hospice can be like a light in the darkness – a service provided to ensure they live well up till the end of their life.

“Unfortunately, many aren’t aware of what a hospice is or what we do. Many also don’t realise that a hospice’s services are provided free-of-charge, or that hospices are funded solely through public donations,” says Kasih Hospice general manager Catherine Ooi.

'Most of the hospices are badly affected by the pandemic,' says Ooi. Photo: The Star/Yap Chee Hong

A hospice provides end-of life care, focusing on pain management – whether physical or psychosocial (emotional) – of a terminally ill patient. It is a branch of palliative care, which according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), is a human right.