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Lasting Words is a free, dignity-based program in Western Australia that is available to people who are over the age of 75 or in end-of-life care, allowing them to use their stories, core memories, and life reflections to construct a lasting memento for their loved ones.
As a person approaches the end of their life, having the opportunity to talk and reflect on their past can help them prepare for the future. The reflective story developed through dignity therapy also creates a persisting legacy of life. Unlike a biography, this legacy document highlights important aspects of their story through their eyes, incorporating personal thoughts, feelings, and advice.
Our trained volunteers interview participants over the course of 4-10 sessions that run for 45-60 minutes each. The audio from these interviews is recorded, transcribed, and edited in accordance with the participant’s vision. This results in the final document being representative of their personhood and voice.
While participants can range in age, medical condition, or prognosis, they all have one thing in common: a desire to tell their stories to someone, and to have them captured before they die.
The Lasting Words program began in 2019, when a small group of passionate volunteers started working with the CEO of Palliative Care WA to provide people who were aging or in end-of-life care with an experience that would capture their life reflections for their loved ones.
They based the program on dignity-therapy, which acknowledges that talking about the past and creating a written work with these reflections can increase the wellbeing of people who are nearing death. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic slowing progress, Lasting Words has since expanded to encompass 12 fully trained and 10 in-training volunteers as of July 2026. The program has helped more than 160 people share their stories with their families and loved ones.
Lasting Words is managed by a volunteer steering committee under the auspice of Palliative Care WA. We are honoured to be supported by our patron, Andrew Allsop. Andrew is the Director of Clinical Operations for Palliative Care in WA at Silverchain. We would also like to thank Cancer Council WA for supporting Lasting Words by providing Volunteering in Palliative Care training for all volunteer interviewers.
If you have any further questions or concerns, you can contact us on lastingwords@palliativecarewa.asn.au or 1300 551 704.
If you are looking to participate in the program, please refer to the For Participants section. If you are looking to volunteer as an interviewer or supporting editor, please refer to the For Volunteers section. If you would like to provide feedback or a testimony of your experience with Lasting Words, you can do so here.
Find the feedback form here.
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Are you interested in capturing your life reflections? If you are over the age of 75 or in palliative care, speak and understand English, and have the ability to communicate effectively and recall memories, Lasting Words might be able to help you create a keepsake of your memories and thoughts.
What to expect?
Privacy and your final keepsafe
How to apply?
To apply for the Lasting Words program, please fill out the form below. Organisations looking to refer individuals may also complete the form.
Find the form here.
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Before you begin
What to expect
Volunteer roles
There are 2 volunteer opportunities available:
How to apply?
If you’ve read and understood the role requirements and would like to volunteer with the Lasting Words program, please complete the Expression of Interest form below.
Find the Expression of Interest form here.
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