Best practice respite design for non-clinical care report for Palliative Care ACT

Abstract

Palliative Care ACT engaged with the School of Business, UNSW Canberra, to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of Leo’s Place in 2020. That evaluation showed that Leo’s Place, which is currently set in an existing residential house in a suburb in Canberra, is an overwhelming success. It provides a very welcome respite service that allows many carers to undertake their own life-affirming activities. Carers and clients noted that Leo’s Place was welcoming, comfortable, and afforded them a space to rest that was non-clinical. The design and implementation of Leo’s overcame resistance from carers and clients to the idea of respite as it was not like any other service. Carers were deeply thankful for the respite offered and spoke of it being ‘life saving’ to their own mental, physical, and social wellbeing. The informal interactions between clients, staff and volunteers at Leo’s created an advice and social support hub and created a shared sense of community. Carers also commented on how helpful it was to have further guidance regarding services and pathways from the staff. The only negative identified in the data regarded the physical structure of Leo’s Place, in particular the bathroom facilities, is a problem of re-purposing a ‘traditional’ family home and can easily be addressed with a purpose built/modified building