A program that gives a voice to people at their lowest ebb is quietly recording treasured keepsakes for grieving families in the ACT.

Palliative Care ACT has launched A Moment in Time, supported by funding from Lodge Canberra Unity, to record the stories of ordinary Canberrans.

Participants work with a trained volunteer to create an audio recording, digital written book, or both.

Palliative Care ACT CEO Paul Arztenhofer said the result, containing treasured memories, was then passed to a patient’s loved ones.

“My dad used to tell me the same story over and over and over,” he said.

“At the time, I probably rolled my eyes a million times as young people do – but I would do anything to hear his voice and to hear that story one more time.”

Mr Arztenhofer said the program was inspired by research suggesting having dementia patients record their memories could help rebuild neural pathways.

For Catherine, the recording was a precious gift.

A Palliative Care ACT volunteer helped record Catherine’s mother’s life story after she was diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy in 2020.

The result was a book, which Catherine and her siblings shared with other relatives and family friends after the funeral.

“It was a nice way to bring back a bit of joy and celebration,” she said.

“You could see how her life shaped her and the person she was, the strength of character that she had.

“It was also a different way of being able to move away from diagnosis and disease, and for mum to be seen as a person, and that was incredibly powerful.

“It gave mum a voice when she didn’t have one.”

The initiative evolved from an existing program of Pallative Care ACT’s called Life Stories, where participants discuss their full life story.

Mr Arztenhofer said the new program wasn’t a replacement.

“We still do Life Stories, if people are particularly wanting to go through an entire biography [of their life],” he said.

“There have been a few people who have actually recorded messages to their loved ones that they want them to play after they pass. … It has evolved from purely a biography to almost a keepsake and memento-type service, as well.”

Preparing each A Moment in Time project takes about six to eight sessions, and is available to people of any age living with a life-limiting illness.

There is no cost.

“People want to talk about their favourite sporting achievement, or what their first couple of years in the country were like if they were an immigrant.

“They talk about anything that comes to mind that they want to leave behind … You see the spark in people’s eyes as they do that.”

Each volunteer is also trained in how to respond safely and compassionately to disclosures of sexual violence, in a partnership with Canberra Rape Crisis Centre.

While many people think of palliative care as something only elderly people experience, young people are also affected.

“There are people in their 20s and 30s and 40s being diagnosed with life-limiting illnesses every single day,” he said.

“People in their 20s and 30s feel more comfortable actually doing a digital recording than they would having a book produced.”

Mr Arztenhofer said a dozen people have participated in the A Moment in Time project, while about 30 other people have reached out.

The first projects were finalised in September.

He said one woman was partway through creating her project when she died, but the recording was passed on to the family.

“They’re so grateful for the fact that you know they do have mum’s memories captured in her voice.”

He also said the next step for Palliative Care ACT is to expand the program into a video service.

“That’s probably in the next 12 months … and that’s where I’d need some additional expertise.

“If there’s anyone out there who has those skills and they want to be a part of it, please reach out to us. We’d love to have a chat.”

Find out more about A Moment in Time online or by contacting Palliative Care ACT.