Work Together

The older person is the centre of care. By working together, the family, aged care service, GP, nurses, care workers and allied health professional(s) can deliver the best care for the person. Specialist palliative care may also have a role to play.

As the health of an older person changes, the team and their roles may change to suit that person’s needs. The team should be able to work together across all care settings: from home, to hospital, to aged care.

Key aspects for working together

Having the whole team on the ‘same page’ is essential for shared care. This will rely on good communication between team members. A strong team care approach will make sure care is given at the right time and in the right place.

Good shared care looks like:

cohesive decision-making
clear and timely communication between clinicians
less burden and cost to the person, that might be caused by many settings of care
less confusion for the person and their family e.g., emergency contacts
a plan for emergency care.

Paramedics have also been identified as having a key role to play in supporting end of life in aged care.

It is important for all team members to understand their role in shared care.

Find out more

Watch an ELDAC Work Together video. This video showcases effective teamwork for proactive palliative care in a home care setting. There is also a video for residential aged care.