As part of the Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care (GCfAHPC) Program, Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN) partnered with Palliative Care Queensland, and Mackay Regional Council to deliver the internationally recognised Last Aid community education program in Mackay.
The initiative supports the GCfAHPC objective of improving community awareness, confidence, and capability in end-of-life care while strengthening compassionate communities across northern Queensland.
The program helped local residents develop the skills and confidence to support people experiencing serious illness, dying, death, and grief.
Held at the Jubilee Community Centre in Mackay, the four-hour workshop brought together 14 participants, including community members, carers, volunteers, and health professionals, to learn practical ways of supporting people at the end of life and navigating conversations around death, dying and grief.
The program explored four key topics:
- dying as a normal part of life
- planning ahead
- relieving suffering
- final goodbyes.
Participant feedback demonstrated the value of community education in building confidence and awareness around end-of-life care.
Eighty-two per cent of participants rated the course as excellent, while 82 per cent also said they would recommend the program to others.
Attendees reported increased confidence discussing death and dying, a stronger understanding of palliative care, and greater awareness of available services and supports.
Importantly, all survey respondents indicated they planned to take action following the workshop, including sharing information and resources with family members, friends, colleagues, and community networks.
The participants also highlighted the importance of planning ahead, listening without judgement, and empowering people to live their lives fully until the end.
One participant described the session as “informative and a terrific refresher on my learnings”, while another said the workshop provided “excellent information, resources, and opportunities to connect with others in the community”.
Participants also reported feeling more confident in supporting people experiencing serious illness, dying, and grief.
The GCfAHPC Project Team said the strong response to the workshop highlighted the important role community education played in building confidence and capability around palliative and end-of-life care.
“Many people want to support family members, friends, or neighbours through serious illness and at the end of life, but often don’t know where to start. Programs such as Last Aid provide practical knowledge, confidence, and resources that help people have these important conversations and offer support when it matters most. Building community understanding and awareness is an important part of creating compassionate communities across northern Queensland.”
The strong response to the Mackay session reinforces the value of community-based education that improves death literacy, encourages open conversations, and strengthens local capacity to support people nearing the end of life.
NQPHN looks forward to continuing to work with partners to improve awareness and understanding of palliative and end-of-life care across northern Queensland.
About the Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care Program
The Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care (GCfAHPC) Program supports initiatives that improve access to quality palliative and end-of-life care, increase community awareness, and strengthen the ability of individuals, families, and communities to support people who wish to remain at home during their palliative care journey.