Blog

Up to 11% of Australians are of diverse sexual orientation, sex or gender identity. However, accessing appropriate health and aged care services remains difficult for many older LGBTI Australians. Samantha Edmonds of the National LGBTI Health Alliance discusses current initiatives and the work that still needs to be done in providing inclusive, person-centred aged and palliative care services.

Implementing a palliative approach to care enables residential aged care facilities to support the quality of life, comfort and dignity for each of their resident from admission to death. Mark Butler from Eldercare discusses how their organisation implemented a palliative approach, and the benefits it brings to their residents and their families and multidisciplinary staff members.

Many of us are unaware that Dementia is a terminal illness. It is currently the second leading cause of death overall in Australia. Kirsty Carr from Dementia Australia discusses three things you need to know about dementia and dying. 

Older people living in residential aged care facilities need to be provided high quality end-of-life care. This will often involve nurses who will help with advance care planning and implement a palliative approach to care. Mia Taylen-Smith of Metro South Palliative Care discusses how their Improving End-of-Life Care Residential Aged Care Residents Initiative aims to enable aged care nurses.

The end of life makes older people more vulnerable to elder abuse. Dr Kelly Purser and Associate Professor Tina Cockburn from the Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Faculty of Law at Queensland University of Technology discuss the escalating, and often hidden, problem of elder abuse in Australia’s ageing population and the different forms it can take.