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The views and opinions expressed in our blog series are those of the authors and are not necessarily supported by CareSearch, Flinders University and/or the Australian Government Department of Health.
Staff at the Aged Care Complaints Commissioner have been listening to the stories of those dying in aged care since we first began on 1 January 2016. These stories help us to understand the needs of dying people and their families, and to work with service providers to ensure that their palliative care improves. Jan McGregor, Director at Aged Care Complaints Commissioner’s Clinical Unit discusses the most difficult complaints to resolve are those where there has been a breakdown in communication between the service and the family and the importance of communication in palliative care.
Older Persons Advocacy Network (OPAN) manages the National Aged Care Advocacy Program. OPAN provides information, education and free, confidential individual advocacy to both community and residential aged care and potential consumers, their carers and families. Lewis Kaplan, former CEO of OPAN, discusses what is the relationship between good advocacy services and good palliative care.
Health professionals, as well as patients and their carers and families, need easy and rapid access to reliable information to make informed and often difficult decisions about care. Professor Liz Reymond, Deputy Director of Metro South Palliative Care Service at Metro South Health Queensland writes why evidence on palliative care is crucial, and how CareSearch helps.
Paediatric palliative care is a holistic approach to the care of children with life-limiting illness and their families. It aims to enhance the quality of life for the child and provide support for the family. Dr Anthony Herbert, Director of Paediatric Palliative Care Service in the Division of Medicine at Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service, writes how CareSearch supports clinicians delivering paediatric palliative care.
The rise of ageing and chronic illnesses means that most Australians are living with ill health and significant disability for many years before they die. In our 6th CareSearch@10 anniversary blog post, Kim Devery of Flinders University and End-of-Life Essentials writes why health professionals need trustworthy evidence.