Blog

We can all play a role in conserving the dignity of people with advanced incurable disease or simply as people age. In this blog, Assoc Professor Deidre Morgan explains many practical ways that health professionals and family members can help to conserve the person’s dignity and support their autonomy as they near the end of their life.

Violet Platt, CEO of Palliative Care Victoria, shares insights into the 'Dignified and Respectful Decisions' project. This initiative provides practical support for individuals caring for loved ones in residential aged care through information and resources. The project helps caregivers advocate, make decisions, and collaborate with the aged care team, ensuring their loved ones' autonomy, values, and preferences are honoured.

Nurses and carers working in residential aged care are under pressure to provide care for people with very complex needs in an environment that often lacks senior staff. Palliative Care Needs Rounds (PCNRs) offer education and mentoring to improve access to specialised palliative care in residential aged care facilities. They also aim to enhance staff skills and confidence in managing pain and end-of-life symptoms. In her blog, Nikki Johnston discusses the benefits of PCNRs for both staff and residents.

Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological therapy in palliative care, offering potential benefits for symptom management and overall well-being. In this blog, a group of researchers explore the potential of personalised VR therapy to improve emotional and physical symptoms in palliative care patients.

In recognition of Advance Care Planning week (18-24 March), our team asked Craig Sinclair and Rebecca Walton, researchers currently looking at the effectiveness of advance care planning, to tell us about this work and its implications for aged care.