Residential Aged Care
Background
The Southern Metropolitan Region Palliative Care Consortium (SMRPCC) aims to help residential aged care facilities in the southern metro region deliver quality palliative care.
The World Health Organization defines palliative care as: “an approach that improves the quality of life of patients … and their families who are facing problems associated with life-threatening illness. It prevents and relieves suffering through the early identification, correct assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, whether physical, psychosocial or spiritual.”
Key recommendations of the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety require aged care providers to provide high quality palliative care.
SMRPCC is committed to collaborating with RACFs to build structures that support the palliative approach and facilitate capacity building. By supporting aged care facilities to provide high quality palliative care, SMRPCC aims to help many older Australians have a good death and help their families and carers receive better support during the dying and bereavement process.
Current initiatives
For information on current initiatives, please contact SMRPCC’s Palliative Aged Care Project Manager, Sharon McAllister Boyles. See below for Sharon’s contact details.
Online drop-in sessions – Wednesdays from 1 pm to 1.30 pm
Support for aged care clinical leaders and supervisors
Starting 15 June, Sharon will be available online — on Wednesdays from 1pm to 1.30 pm — to provide support and to talk to aged care clinical leaders and supervisors in the southern metro region about palliative care in the aged care setting.
These will be friendly and casual drop-in sessions on MS Teams — an opportunity to discuss and debrief.
To join a drop-in session, click on the link (that we will post here, closer to the start date) between 1 and 1.30 pm on a Wednesday.
What: Drop-in support sessions with SMRPCC about palliative care in aged care — discuss and debrief
Where: Online by MS Teams – we will post a link closer to the start date
When: Wednesdays between 1pm and 1.30 pm from 15 June 2023
If you have any questions, contact Sharon.
Palliative Improvement Program (PIP)
We support RACFs to review their current practices around the provision of palliative care. The Palliative Improvement Program (PIP) helps RACFs identify areas for improvement in their palliative approach.
By reviewing the files of deceased residents, facilities can identify their current practice standards, find opportunities for improvement, and develop relevant training. Please contact Sharon (contact details below) to express your interest in this initiative.
To open the latest version of ELDAC’s death audit tool, click here.
IMPREST medication system
For more information about IMPREST medications, see the following links:
• IMPREST Medications for RACFs – FAQ
• IMPREST Medications for RACFs
• IMPREST RACF Register – Sample
Consortium developed resources
- Advance Care Directives: Which Form Do I Use?
- Interpreting the 10 Steps to Implementation of a Palliative Approach
- Looking at the Introduction of a Palliative Approach in our Facility
- VAD Information for Residential Aged Care Facilities
For more resources and links to other organisations, go to SMRPCC’s Resources and Links page
Other useful organisations
ELDAC
End of Life Directions for Aged Care
ELDAC provides information, guidance and resources to health professionals and aged care workers to support palliative care and advance care planning to improve the care of older Australians.
CareSearch
CareSearch – Aged Care Hub
Resources, evidence, clinical groups, information
PEPA
Program of Experience in the Palliative Approach
Palliative care workshops and placements
Contact SMRPCC
sharon.mcallister-boyles@smrpcc.org.au