Wolper and JewishCare to continue with palliative care
Sydney’s Wolper Jewish Hospital and JewishCare have signed a memorandum of understanding that will see the two organisations continue to provide counselling services for palliative care patients in Wolper’s medical ward and their families.
Allan Vidor and Daniel Goulburn
JewishCare counsellor, Des Kahn, has been providing bereavement counselling at Wolper for four years via JewishCare’s Chessed Bereavement Support program.
Andrew Driehuis, Wolper’s Deputy Director of Clinical Services and manager of the Hospital’s medical ward said “Des Kahn and the counselling he provides is a crucial part of the holistic care palliative patients and their families receive at Wolper. His psycho-social counselling offers an understanding of the end-of-life process and provides coping strategies. I’m pleased that this agreement ensures the continued running of the service as patients and families gain so much from it.”
Daniel Goulburn, President of Wolper Jewish Hospital said, “The signing of this agreement indicates that the JewishCare’s bereavement counselling service is highly valued by the Hospital’s palliative care ward. I’m pleased to formalise our partnership with JewishCare in this way. Our first MOU was signed in 2012 and we look forward to the partnership continuing and expanding well into the future.”
Des is a psychotherapist in private practice. He also co-facilitates psycho-educational groups related to domestic violence. He currently teaches Advanced Therapeutic Communication, as well as grief and loss theory and practice to Masters students, and Interpersonal Communication to
undergraduates at the Jansen Newman Institute.
JewishCare and Wolper also come together to provide benevolent care for Jewish patients who met Wolper’s admission requirements and need hospitalisation but cannot afford private health care. The patients are identified by JewishCare with Wolper providing the treatment and the funding for their hospitalisation.
Allan Vidor, President of JewishCare said, “The partnership between JewishCare and Wolper is an excellent example of two JCA organisations coming together to care for members of the community. The community can be very proud of Wolper’s generous benevolent care initiative and the high standard of holistic care that it provides across all life stages.”
