palliAGED updates

Needs assessments can help to identify what patients and their families consider important and where they need help and support. Check out the Evidence Summary and the Practice Points around Needs Assessment.

The palliAGED apps have been updated in the Google Play store to fix an issue that could cause the content to be blank on some Android devices.

A crisis or an emergency in palliative care is a sudden deterioration in a person’s condition which requires an urgent response. Check out the Evidence Summary and the Practice Points around Managing Crises.

The following pages have been updated to include new and recently published evidence:

• Evidence Summary: Dignity and Quality of Life
• Evidence Synthesis: Dignity and Quality of Life
• Evidence Synthesis: Elder Abuse
• Evidence Synthesis: Goals of Care

Syringe drivers are small portable (usually battery-operated) devices used to administer medication in palliative care. Check out the Evidence Summary and the Practice Points around Syringe Drivers.

A new section in the Evidence Centre is a gateway to fast and reliable access to evidence to inform your clinical practice. It provides an overview of common symptoms and how to manage medications. There are links to other useful Australian resources.

Two new topics have been included in the Evidence Centre and the Practice Centre:

Advance Care Planning (ACP)

• Evidence Centre: Advance Care Planning
• Practice Centre: Advance Care Planning

Respite care

• Evidence Centre: Respite Care
• Practice centre: Respite Care

Two new topics have been included in the Evidence Centre and the Practice Centre:

Case Conferences

• Evidence Centre: Case Conferences
• Practice Centre: Case Conferences

Spiritual care

• Evidence Centre: Spiritual Care 
• Evidence Care: Spiritual Care Synthesis
• Practice centre: Spiritual Care

One new topic has been included in the Evidence Centre and the Practice Centre:

• Evidence Centre: Models of Care
• Practice Centre: Models of Care

The provision of palliative care in the context of older age needs to consider some specific issues including cognitive decline, confusion, dementia and/or communication difficulties.  As the community ages, dementia is becoming increasingly common. Check out the Evidence Summary and the Practice Points around cognitive issues.