Kalamunda Compassionate Communities

Kalamunda Compassionate Communities was established after the City of Kalamunda receiving funding through the Department of Health.

The City of Kalamunda partnered with Kalamunda Hospital Palliative Care Unit and the day hospice to host an Artist in Residency. The City of Kalamunda engaged an Artist in Residence to produce a series of eight large scale portraits capturing the life stories and legacy of patients, their families and staff at Kalamunda Hospital Palliative Care Unit.

Two community workshops were held and facilitated by Artist in Residence Eleisha Pirouet to raise community awareness and understanding around the Compassionate Communities project and the public health approach to end of life. Workshop One was an individual painting workshop where participants painted their own Banksia flower, chosen as a symbol for life and death, representing the natural circles of life through the flower’s life cycle. Workshop Two was a community art mural, where the participants painted three mobile boards and discussions took place about how the community could come together to better support each other in sickness and at end of life. The free workshops attracted a diverse range of community with unique perspectives, discussing legacy, death and dying from an optimistic perspective that celebrates life.

A Growing Kalamunda – A Compassionate Community Forum; “Living Well, Ending Well” forum took place on Dying to Know You Day on 8 August. The forum was a celebration of life, ageing, and connecting communities. Featuring Compassionate Community experts, allied health professionals, charity and not-for-profit organisations who work in the space of connecting communities and creating a culture of caring communities.

An art exhibition, a celebration of life and legacy, featuring all the artworks produced as part of the Kalamunda Compassionate Communities project, was on display throughout August and at the Forum.

Outcomes Achieved during the 2 year funding period:

A community with improved understanding and knowledge on dying and death care options and familiarity with starting conversations on death and dying

A community that demonstrates a willingness and capacity to support and care for each other
Projects and initiatives that will support community members, their families and friends facing end of life

Increased community awareness of Palliative Care’s focus to improve the quality of life of patients with a life limiting illness, their families and their caregivers

A Kalamunda Compassionate Communities working group has been established, consisting of volunteer community members, providing a support network between their surrounding neighbours.

Kalamunda Compassionate Communities held their first event, a Legacy Lantern Ceremony on Saturday 25 May 2024. 120 people attended and over 70 lanterns were lit and floated on the lake at Stirk Park in memory of loved ones at sunset.

Kalamunda Compassionate Communities also held a Dying to Know Day last Thursday; Live the Life You Please, where over 30 participants gathered to engage in essential conversations about death, dying and bereavement. The event featured two insightful guest speakers who emphasized the importance of having an advance care plan and offered guidance on how to begin those crucial family discussions about end-of-life decisions. Attendees were also moved by a powerful 30-minute video, Live the Life You Please. The evening left everyone feeling empowered, with a deeper understanding of how to craft an advance health directive and a refreshed outlook on embracing the final chapter of life with dignity, purpose and positivity. It was an evening of learning, reflection, and connecting, as Kalamunda continues to build a community that not only celebrates life but also honours death with honesty, grace, and compassion.

Kalamunda Compassionate Communities will continue working together, to create compassionate and caring neighbourhoods and events around death and dying. Kalamunda Compassionate Communities is supported by the City of Kalamunda.