Access to supportive care, palliative care and end-of-life care are essential for persons living with an advance illness. In this course, community health and social care professionals will be offered a foundational overview of psychosocial issues faced by their clients living across illness trajectories in the community, and consider their roles in providing holistic support.

Course outline

Part I: An introduction to palliative care, end-of-life care & supportive care (PES) – Framework, Models & Illness Trajectory

Part II: Contemporary perspectives in PES care – Decision- making in PES Care, Advanced Care Planning, Lasting Power of Attorney and Grief Management

Part III: Partners in PES care – Caregivers, Inter-professional Teams, Care Management, PES Care Resources and Self-care of the Professionals

This course will involve synchronous online lectures, virtual small group discussions, course materials posted on online learning portal.

Please refer to the brochure here.

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

1. Articulate the philosophy and models of palliative care, end-of-life care & supportive care (PES)
2. Define illness trajectory & its impact on psychosocial well-being
3. Describe common symptoms & their psychological impact
4. Apply the biopsychosocial & spiritual framework of assessment
5. Examine decision-making at end-of-life
6. Apply Advanced Care Planning & Lasting Power of Attorney
7. Discuss grief & grief management
8. Involve caregivers & family members as care partners & service users
9. Discover ways to work within & across inter-professional teams
10. Explain care management, referral & co-ordination in PES care
11. Identify resources & schemes applicable to PES care
12. Recognize the importance of self-care of the professional
13. Translate knowledge into clinical practice

Allied Health Professionals, Psychosocial Care Staff, Community Nurses, Clinicians, Administrators and Managers leading care teams in community health and social service agencies supporting clients with life- limiting/threatening illnesses and early career professionals in supportive, palliative and end-of-life care.

Ms CHEE Wai Yee, MSc Palliative Care
Senior Director at Montfort Care, Grief Matters

Dr Gilbert FAN, RSW, FAPA
Master Medical Social Worker at National Cancer Centre, Singapore. Member of the International Workgroup on Death, Dying and Bereavement

Ms KOH Tang En, MSW
Senior Medical Social Worker at Dover Park Hospice, Fellow at Zelda Foster Studies in Palliative & End-of-Life Care, New York University

Ms PEH Cheng Wan, RSW, MSocSci Counselling
Principal Therapist and Co-Founder, LivingPath Private Limited. Social Work Fellow in Palliative & End-of-Life Care at Beth Israel Medical Center, New York City

Fees before subsidy: SGD 777.60 per person (including 8% GST)

*Prevailing fee subsidy for staff working in eligible Community Care organisations:
90% for Singaporean/PR and 45% for non-Singaporean/PR.
*Organisations will be billed the amount after subsidy.

The next course run will be in 2024.

For enquiries, please email to enquiries@palc.org.sg.