Background

Starlight Moments supports palliative children, adolescents and their families through the provision of on-going, tailored, positive experiences or “moments”. The program is delivered by a non-profit in partnership with dedicated paediatric palliative care teams, helping to support and ensure a wholistic approach to care of the child, siblings and parents/carers. The program is designed to provide experiences specific to that family’s needs and interests, creating opportunities beyond what the health system can provide. The aim is to create meaningful memories and increase family connection through the on-going delivery of small, but significant moments. 

Aim

Positive psychology theory has been identified as valuable when aiming to improve the well-being of people living with serious or life-limiting illness, yet minimal research exists about its role in paediatric palliative care. This research project aimed to investigate any correlation between the Moments program and key positive psychology tenets.

Method

A mixed-methods approach was used. It included the use and review of qualitative and quantitative evaluations, program documentation, and interviews with families and health professionals. Findings were compared against a key positive psychology framework.

Findings

Results demonstrated the program related closely to fundamental positive psychology concepts. Stakeholders, including the palliative families and health professionals, consistently confirmed the positive emotions created by the delivery of the Moments. Outcomes indicated opportunities for promoting strong relationships and more meaningful connections, and perhaps most surprisingly, feelings of accomplishments resulting from involvement in the program. It also highlighted the importance of involving all family members, particularly siblings, in the experiences.

Conclusions

This presentation will outline the program, share findings from the research and provide illustrative examples. It will demonstrate how Starlight Moments and positive psychology helps to enhance the work of health professionals, supports the concept of total care, and contributes to a more inclusive and quality palliative care experience.