Blog

Over the last four decades, aged care services in Australia have changed from publicly funded nursing homes to privately run 'residential aged care facilities' that now cater to high care needs. Juliane Samara, a Specialist Palliative Aged Care Nurse Practitioner, emphasises the significance of having a competent workforce of aged care nurses to provide quality palliative care.

With an ageing population and high levels of migration to Australia, the Australian healthcare community must recognise individualised and cultural needs when approaching death and end-of-life care. Registered Nurse Elizabeth Lambert discusses her research into the cultural considerations for people from culturally or linguistically diverse backgrounds.

More education and training for nurses and care workers in providing palliative and end-of-life care, particularly in regional areas, is needed. Palliative Care Nurse Educator Andrea Rivers-Thompson discusses the PC-Link Nurse program, which aims to provide mentoring and training to build confidence and knowledge in delivering evidence-based care.

The next decade will see a rapid expansion of technology into aged care. Professor Jennifer Tieman discusses how technology can have a positive role to play in supporting care for older people coming to the end of their life.

Learn how the priorities of people over 85 shift as they age through advance care planning documents. Xanthe Sansome, National Director for Advance Care Planning Australia, shares valuable insights on what matters to them and their views on end-of-life care.