Understanding Palliative Care

These definitions are from the Aged Care Quality Standards:

• Advance care planning is the voluntary process of planning for future health and personal care needs.
• Advance care documents are documents that result from advance care planning. They include Advance Care Directives and Advance Care Plans.
• End of life refers to the period when an older person is living with, and impaired by, a fatal condition, even if the trajectory is ambiguous or unknown. This period may be years in the case of older people with chronic or malignant disease, or very brief in the case of older people who suffer acute and unexpected illnesses or events.
• Last days of life is the hours, days or, occasionally, weeks when a person’s death is imminent. This is sometimes referred to as the period when a person is actively dying.
• Palliative care is person and family-centred care provided for a person with an active, progressive, advanced disease, who has little or no prospect of cure, who is expected to die, and for whom the primary goal is to optimise the quality of life. Palliative care helps people live their life as fully and as comfortably as possible when living with a life-limiting or terminal illness. It identifies and treats symptoms which may be physical, emotional, spiritual or social.

• The care an older person receives in the last years, months and weeks of their life can ease the distress and grief of death and dying.
• All older people have the right to dignity, comfort and privacy. They should be cared for respectfully and with compassion.
• Like dementia care, palliative care and end of life care is core business for aged care.
• The older person is supported to identify their needs, goals, and make decisions about their care using a person-centred approach.
• Families and carers benefit from knowing the older person is receiving quality, active care at the end of life.

• Advance care planning conversations can build awareness of the person’s wishes.
• Recognising a person may be in the last months of life allows time for comprehensive care and to prepare the family.
• Assessment and reassessment of symptoms and needs can help support appropriate treatment and care.
• Outcome 5.7 of the Strengthened Aged Care Quality Standards highlights a range of clinical aspects to consider.
• Specialist palliative care input or support from others may be needed, such as allied health professionals.
• Communication with families ensures they are aware of changes.
• Recognising and responding to changes is important. Some may be reversible.
• Staff should be aware of common signs that may signal a person is in the last days of life.
• Care of the body after death and support for the family needs to be arranged.
• Grief and support needs of their staff should also be considered.