palliAGED updates

Our team were pleased to meet many aged care staff with an interest in palliative care at the Oceanic Palliative Care Conference earlier this month. Thank you to those of you that took the time to tell us your thoughts on our resources and how you use them. Overall, the feedback from the conference indicated most people used palliAGED and/or CareSearch resources to increase their own knowledge (26%) or that of others in their team (21%). We were also pleased to learn that 86% of people who have used our resources believe they led to improved palliative care knowledge, care quality, or organisational processes.

We appreciate the recent feedback you provided regarding our free palliAGED printed resources, which you ordered through our online form. We’d like to share some important insights you shared with us: (1) Nurses and careworkers benefit from the short, clear information written in simple language, (2) the printed format helps aged care workers understand that different pieces of information form a comprehensive set of resources and interconnected practice elements, (3) the reflection questions in the palliAGED Practice Tip Sheets stimulate meaningful discussion, (4) the Tip Sheets are being used for induction and ongoing team learning, (5) they are particularly helpful to aged care workers with limited experience, and they also support workers from diverse backgrounds, and (6) many were unaware of the Getting started with palliAGED resources but found it a very useful guide. You can order any of these resources via our online order form.  

Attending the Oceanic Palliative Care Conference? Come and visit The Department of Health and Aged Care trade booth #25 for a lunch time session where you can meet Dr Priyanka Vandersman from ELDAC and Dr Raechel Damarell from CareSearch on Thursday 14 September 2023 between 12.30pm -1.00pm.

During 2023-2026, we will continue to ensure the currency of the palliAGED website and, in particular, we will update our Practice Centre and the Australian Context section. We are also interested to understand how the aged care workforce and service use palliAGED resources and to help us do this we are looking at developing a framework of reach and impact measures. We are keen to continue working closely with the sector to ensure that what we produce is valuable and relevant as well, as built on the evidence for practice and care. We are always open to feedback and ideas so please share them by emailing us at palliaged@flinders.edu.au

The palliAGED/CareSearch team will be attending the Oceanic Palliative Care Conference in Sydney, 13-15 September 2023. Look out for our posters and come and visit our booth to pick up resources to share with your team and talk to us about your needs and how we can work together.

The Department of Health and Aged Care has curated a select set of palliative care education and training opportunities for aged care workers and for primary care. Good to see that palliAGED is seen as a set resource for aged care and CareSearch for primary care. We will continue to support the health and aged care work force with education and training options, practical resources and access to evidence and information.

Many people with palliative care needs are supported to stay in their own home. Depending on your situation you may need specialised equipment or changes in your home or that of the people you care for to make this possible. To help you prepare we have added new content to the How to Care section of palliAGED.

CareSearch/palliAGED is pleased to announce that we have been included in project funding announced by the Department of Health and Aged Care for the 2023-26 period. With $53 million allocated to 14 National Palliative Care Projects and an addition $15.9 million to the End of Life Directions for Aged Care (ELDAC) initiative the government has confirmed its commitment to ensuring quality end of life experiences in Australia. See a list of all Palliative Care Projects and End of Life Directions for Aged Care Funding (84kb pdf).

Are you looking for workplace training for careworkers that is relevant and relatable? To help with this palliAGED has released a series of new resources – Aged care journeys in palliative care.

Providing a first step into palliative care training, these resources combine palliAGED Practice Tip Sheets and common journeys in aged care mapped as part of a project commissioned by Gold Coast PHN. For Educators resources are also provided to assist with team discussions based on the journeys. Visit today and introduce your team to Peter, Mary, Betty, and Keng and how Careworkers can make a difference.

Grief and bereavement can have significant impacts on individuals and on communities. While we often think of loss in terms of death, for many people and their families it starts much earlier. Looking after people who are coming towards the end of their life also impacts the workforce providing care.

Our latest In-Focus looks at grief and loss associated with deterioration and death for people using aged care services. To help you plan ways to support those affected by grief and bereavement in aged care we also highlight available resources and supports.