CareSearch updates

Attending EAPC 2026 in Prague provided a valuable opportunity to share and learn from international approaches to palliative and end-of-life care at a time of significant aged care reform in Australia. Across presentations, posters and discussions, there was strong recognition of the growing challenges associated with population ageing, frailty and multimorbidity, and the need for systems and workforce responses that better support people approaching the end of life. Key themes emerging from the conference included the importance of accessible evidence-based resources, the role of primary care in palliative care delivery, and growing interest in how artificial intelligence may support future care models.

A particular highlight was the strong focus on practical tools and education resources that can support clinicians, educators and services to respond to changing community needs with confidence, compassion and evidence-informed care. I was therefore delighted to be able to share CareSearch and palliAGED resources, and our evaluation findings on CareSearch clinical evidence summaries, which are seen as valued by the sector, and an essential catalyst to informing current palliative care practice.

This five-part National Palliative Care Week blog series by Amber Bisset, Mariana Ricci and Kate Swetenham, highlights how the Palliative Care Connect (PCC) service supports people, families, carers, and professionals across South Australia.

Reflecting this year’s theme, the series explores some of the important questions people may face when navigating palliative care, grief, bereavement, and access to support, while highlighting the value of compassionate guidance, clear information, and connection when it matters most.

The CareSearch Project Team has begun an exciting redevelopment of our digital platform, not just a website rebranding or rebuild, but something more fundamental. Over the coming months, we’ll be quietly developing the framework for our system that enable us to move confidently into the future that enhances security, functionality, and access to evidence-based resources.

Our current site will keep providing trustworthy information, resources, and learning tools while the platform redevelopment is underway.

Read the full update from our Director, Professor Jennifer Tieman.

Welcome

We would like to welcome to the Dr Olivia Farrer to the CareSearch including palliAGED team. Olivia has taken on the Senior Research Fellow role leading our CareSearch and palliAGED activities.

Olivia brings knowledge and skills in allied health, aged care and education to our project.