Nursing Update: Palliative Care

We are proud to support palliative and end-of-life care that is done in a person-centered and inclusive way.  

Dignity and choice  

Australia has an ageing population. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, we’ll have a 50% increase in the need for palliative care over the next 10 years. Palliative Care Australia is one of Australia’s leaders in palliative care. Their current campaign – What's Your Plan? – encourages us to talk with our loved ones, early, about what matters most to them at the end of their life. Palliative Care Australia has information and resources about how to have these conversations.  

Palliative care and end-of-life care: What’s the difference?  

Palliative care and end-of-life care aren’t the same. Palliative care focuses on independence, quality of life and comfort. A person can receive palliative care at any stage of a life-limiting illness, from diagnosis to the last stage of their life. (Life-limiting means that an illness is unlikely to be able to be cured and will lead to the person’s death.) Early access to palliative care can:  

• improve people’s quality of life  

• reduce hospital stays  

• give families and carers practical and emotional support.  

End-of-life care is a stage of a person’s palliative care journey. ‘End of life’ refers to the days or weeks leading up to the end of someone’s life. It usually includes:  

• intensive clinical care for the person who is dying  

• support for their family and friends.  

A person’s end-of-life care is based on a thorough assessment of their needs, with input from:  

• the person  

• their clinical care providers  

• other carers  

• their family and support people.  

End-of-life care includes:  

• relief from pain and physical symptoms  

• emotional, spiritual and psychological support  

• help for people and their chosen supporters to communicate  

• cultural support  

• referrals to members of the person’s multidisciplinary healthcare team.  

A personal approach to palliative and end-of-life care  

Under the strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards (coming into effect 1 July), providers must make sure that palliative care and end-of-life care are ongoing.  

It’s important that aged care workers know how to provide care that is personal and considers a person’s complex care needs. To meet a person’s palliative and end-of-life care needs, providers and workers should:  

• thoroughly assess and plan for the person’s needs and preferences. This should include advance care planning^*. This makes sure they:  

• understand the person as an individual  

• meet their goals and preferences  

• use active, open and personalised communication. This helps older people and their supporters understand the information carers give them and enables them to make their own care choices  

• deliver effective and timely care at all times during a person’s illness  

• check for changes in a person’s condition and respond in an active and timely way when their health deteriorates  

• work with the person receiving care -  This makes sure their care has a multidisciplinary approach  

• use thorough documentation and governance systems. This supports ongoing review and continuous improvement of the care and services they provide.  

^*Advance care planning is a personal choice and a voluntary process. Providers have a role in supporting older people and their chosen supporters to have these discussions and record their preferences, if they choose to.