Blog

Many individuals in the Chinese-speaking community come from countries or regions where death is considered a taboo topic, making it challenging to initiate discussions about advance care planning. L Yeoh, Dr C Sinclair, Professor B Tan and Professor J Rhee explore culturally sensitive approaches that clinicians and service providers might consider when communicating about end of life matters with older Chinese Australians. 

Aged care faces a period of great and opportunistic change in Australia. Dr Raechel Damarell, incoming palliAGED Senior Research Fellow, shares her vision on how palliAGED will continue to support the sector through these changes over the coming years. 

Conversations around prognosis and personal preferences for end-of-life management options can be difficult for both clinicians and their patients. Dr Magnolia Cardona describes CHAT, an easy to administer, user-friendly online conversation guide supporting clinicians to start an ‘honest discussion journey’ with older patients or aged care residents approaching the end of life.

G Johnstone, L Davey, J Cato and Professor J Lowthian discuss the role of home care services and the challenges in meeting palliative care patient needs.

In Australia, more than 50% of people living in residential aged care homes (care homes) have a dementia diagnosis. Madeleine Juhrmann discusses her team's research exploring staff perspectives on end-of-life care for people with dementia in care homes.