Living-well-Ageing-well-Dying-well
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Living well, Ageing well, Dying well

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A blog by Professor Jennifer Tieman, Flinders University Lead at ELDAC

Panel (L-R): Professor Jennifer Tieman, Director of the Knowledge and Implementation Hub, ARIIA (Facilitator), Dr Helena Williams, Executive Medical Director, Silverchain, Dr Katrine Del Villar, Academic, Faculty of Business & Law, Queensland University of Technology, Anne Livingston, Director, Global Community Resourcing and Kate Swetenham, Director of Nursing, End of Life, SA Health.

The importance of palliative care and end-of-life considerations in aged care is now firmly on the agenda. The 2024 ARIIA Conference, held in July in Adelaide, centered around the theme of "Living Well: Ageing Well: Dying Well." This conference addressed many critical issues raised during the Royal Commission and throughout the ongoing reform program, including funding, workforce, technology, equity and inclusion, and innovation. A dedicated session, "Exploring Futures: Dying Well – Reshaping End-of-Life Systems," provided an opportunity to delve into these issues within a palliative care context.

It was evident from both the panel presentations and audience discussions that supporting older people across ageing and dying is important work. It is important because an ageing population inevitably requires consideration of how to manage care for the dying. This has implications across the health, aged care, and primary care systems, as well as for older people, their families and friends, and the communities in which they live.

Clinically, there is work to be done in building skills, knowledge, and attitudes that can support great care for older people. Some proposed directions included:

  • Clinical leadership and building the skills to have the hard conversations.
  • Implementing culturally appropriate Advance Care Directives (ACDs) for everyone.
  • Developing understanding of common legal matters, such as administering medication for pain at the end of life, Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD), or situations where adhering to an ACD is not possible.
  • Advocating for integrated models of care and funding to support them.
  • Being proactive in identifying those in need of palliative care.

Data and technology were significant themes throughout the conference and echoed in the palliative care session. Innovations such as big data, mobile devices, telehealth and telemedicine, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and smart home technologies are beginning to be applied in aged care and palliative care. However, there is often a lack of experience with these technologies, and their shaping to truly support end-of-life care needs and practices is still limited. Given the challenges in care transition, population diversity, and Australia’s geography, technology will be essential to support care at the end of life.

Interestingly, the audience expressed concern about why death and dying are not more commonly discussed as part of life and our community. There was genuine interest in initiatives such as Dying2Know Day, Death Cafes, and compassionate communities as ways to engage with older people and their communities. Dying well needs to be part of our thinking if we are to meaningfully support older people throughout their entire lives.

ELDAC (End of Life Directions for Aged Care) resources were included in the discussions, and the role in providing resources that support care across home care, aged care, and primary care was acknowledged.

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Professor Jennifer Tieman
Flinders University Lead, ELDAC

 

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