The peace of coming home
Glenda led a life of dedication and care as an aged-care nurse. She was a woman who understood the importance of compassion, a virtue she would rely on when her own life took a sudden, challenging turn.
In late 2022, Glenda received a terminal diagnosis of a brain tumour.
Facing a life-limiting illness can bring a complexity of emotions and spiritual distress. Glenda’s husband, Bernie, and the family found themselves navigating this challenging chapter when a referral to Karuna Hospice Services provided the comfort and expertise they needed.
The power of spiritual care
While Glenda was a spiritual person, her focus was not on the dogmatic aspects of religion. She found profound comfort and peace of mind through specialised counselling sessions with our Community Connection Advisor Venerable Tsultrim.
Spiritual care is an essential element of the holistic approach to specialist palliative care. It addresses a person’s individual values, beliefs, and practices, helping to alleviate the complex emotions associated with a terminal diagnosis. Bernie felt this support was calming for him and the entire family and served as a gentle reminder that death is an integral part of life and “something larger than the individual.”
Living well and dying peacefully
For 15 months, Glenda was supported by a Karuna team including specialist palliative care nurses. Our multidisciplinary team, offering holistic support and connection, ensured that Glenda’s final chapter was guided by her own wishes and centred on her quality of life.
Glenda was able to live well until the very end, dying peacefully at home, surrounded by the love of her family and the deep peace she had cultivated.
Show your support
Your support ensures every person facing a life-limiting illness receives the same specialised, holistic care, comfort, and spiritual connection that Glenda and her loved ones experienced. Please consider ways to give and support people like Glenda.
