Guidelines for a palliative approach in residential aged care

Palliative care as a specialty continues to evolve in Australia and this has resulted in community expectations that people with a life-limiting illness or condition can die in an atmosphere of care and support.

As health professionals continually strive to improve the delivery of palliative care, there is a widespread recognition that the benefits of palliative care are not limited to the final days and weeks before dying. In response to this, there has been a shift in the provision of palliative care as health providers move towards providing a palliative approach. A palliative approach can help reduce the suffering of many people and encompasses a positive and open attitude towards death and dying.

Increasingly, residents of aged care facilities are older and frailer, with complex co-morbid conditions. Staff are constantly faced with the challenge of meeting the complex care needs of this diverse group of people.

A palliative approach has much to offer to residents, their families and staff in our aged care facilities.

These evidence-based guidelines, developed by the Australian Palliative Residential Aged Care (APRAC) project team, aim to provide support and guidance for the delivery of a palliative approach in the 3,000 residential aged care facilities across Australia. Until the guidelines' production, evidence-based guidelines for the implementation of the palliative approach in the residential aged care facility did not exist. The guidelines incorporate the best scientific evidence available regarding all facets of a palliative approach, including early identification and treatment of physical, cultural, psychological, social and spiritual needs.

Importantly, these guidelines are consistent with Goal Two of the National Palliative Care Strategy-to support continuous improvement in the quality and effectiveness of all palliative care service delivery across Australia. The guidelines also represent an important contribution to Palliative Care Australia's mission to improve palliative care options available to ALL Australians through advocacy and setting high standards for practice, policy, research, and service and community development.

Developing these guidelines involved a broad consultation process that included both palliative and aged sectors. I would like to commend all of those involved in this project, including those members of the community who displayed a commitment to the development of these guidelines.

These guidelines are not prescriptive; rather their intent is to provide guidance and support to all those caring for people with a life-limiting illness or condition in residential aged care facilities. I trust that they will offer a great deal to health care workers, families, carers and residents. I encourage you to become familiar with them, to make them readily accessible, and to refer to them when delivering a palliative approach.

copyright Commonwealth of Australia reproduced by permission.