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Summer has gone - so it seems.

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This would be where i cut and paste further information relating to this scene.

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Information about advance care planning laws in each Australian state and territory.

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Improved UI and app content for about us and calculator screen.

PalliMEDS is a free app to support the clinical knowledge of health professionals who prescribe palliative care medicines or care for people at their end of life.

This easy-to-search mobile reference tool pulls together prescribing information for medicines endorsed by the Australian & New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine and associated recommendations from Australian Therapeutic Guidelines on palliative care.

Search by symptom or medicine, view dosing considerations, access useful resources, and quickly see which medicines are TGA-approved and PBS listed.

Separate sections on medicine management at the end of life, use of off-label medicines, medico- legal issues, and carer support are also included.

The palliMEDS app is a collaboration between NPS MedicineWise and the caring@home team. It is part of an Australian Government funded project called caring@home.

1. Opioid Calculator includes a wider range of opioid medicines and administration routes
2. Colour-coding of administration routes throughout the Opioid Calculator
3. Minor updates to clinical information and State/Territory contacts
4. Colour changes to meet accessibility guidelines

Clear and concise

Very helpful app and easy to use. Palliative care is a challenging area of medicine and this information is clear and concise. Well done.

Opioid calculator

Hi there, I really like the new opioid calculator and conversion to other opioids. It's easier to use than the EviQ opioid conversion calculator (online).
The only recommendation I would make would be to allow the addition of a dose reduction (25% or 50%) when changing to a different opioid.

Thanks

The developer, C9 Pty. Ltd., indicated that the app's privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer's privacy policy.

Data Not Collected

The developer does not collect any data from this app.

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

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‎PalliMEDS is a free app to support the clinical knowledge of health professionals who prescribe palliative care medicines or care for people at their end of life. This easy-to-search mobile reference tool pulls together prescribing information for medicines endorsed by the Australian & New Zealand...

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Palliative Care Australia National Palliative Care Standards 2022

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CareSearch palliative care knowledge network

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CareSearch palliative care knowledge network provides access to evidence and tools for health professionals and information about death and dying for the whole community.

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A guiding voice through the universal human experience of grief

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Grief Australia: Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement

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We are a leading voice on grief in Australia, providing evidence-informed counselling, training, and research to collectively strengthen the nation's response to grief.

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Other languages - Advance Care Planning Australia

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Advance care planning information in different languages that you can listen to or read.

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Supportive Palliative Care & Indicator Tool used to help identify people who are deteriorating. Assess them for unmet needs and plan care

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Learning modules and resources to develop your ability to provide culturally responsive palliative care to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

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National Palliative Care – Supporting Palliative Care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities

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A series of engaging eLearning modules to support frontline staff to deliver culturally responsive palliative care.

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Self-care Room for tips to improve your self care in the palliative care environment

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The End-of-Life Directions for Aged Care (ELDAC) project aims to improve the care of older Australians. Health professionals and aged care workers can access information, guidance, and resources to support palliative care and advance care planning for older people and their families.

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Department of Health and Aged Care website

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The palliAGED apps provide nurses and GPs with easy and convenient access to information to help them care for people approaching the end of their life. Timely access to palliative care information can support the clinical care being provided.  An online-offline capacity means they can use the apps anywhere in Australia. As the app is web-based, it can be updated as new evidence and resources are released.

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The palliAGED apps provide nurses and GPs with easy and convenient access to information to help them care for people approaching the end of their life. Timely access to palliative care information can support the clinical care being provided. An online-offline capacity means they can use the apps anywhere in Australia. As the app is web-based, it can be updated as new evidence and resources are released.

palliAGEDgp

This smartphone app supports GPs who are caring for older palliative patients living at home or in residential care. As most deaths are expected, death can be planned for and the required care delivered in a pre-emptive fashion. General practitioners (GPs) have a central role in planning and providing for that care.

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GriefLink provides information for people who are dealing with grief caused by the death of someone close to them, and for those who are supporting them. The death of someone we know is something we all face at some time in our life, and grief is a normal reaction to this loss.

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GriefLink provides information for people who are dealing with the grief caused by the death of someone close to them, and for those who are supporting them.

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Dr Kathryn Mannix - the process of dying

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Love Is Not Enough - Advance Care Planning

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Artist: Wanda Flanagan (Clinical Yarning Project)

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PalliAGED provide self-care tools for care workers, nurses nurses and medical staff.

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What we know

Caring for people who are dying can cause stress and lead to burnout. Recognising that caring for older people generally includes caring for people who may die is an important first step in managing this stress. Developing self-awareness and setting up self-care strategies can protect against burnout. It can be helpful to debrief with work colleagues.

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self-care strategies for aged care workers.

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Caring for people who are dying can cause stress and lead to burnout. Recognising that caring for older people generally includes caring for people who may die is an important first step in managing this stress. Developing self-awareness and setting up self-care strategies can protect against burnout.

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World Health Organization- Palliative Care - The essential facts

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Principles

Subcutaneous administration of medicines is a safe and practical way of administering medicines to people in the terminal phase. Continuous subcutaneous infusions often contain a mixture of medicines, e.g. opioid plus antiemetic.

A syringe driver is a battery driven device that delivers medicines continuously.

The dose of each medicine should be individualised, and separate PRN doses prescribed for breakthrough symptoms.

Incompatibilities (e.g. precipitation, particle formulation, chemical inactivation) can occur between medicines and also with diluents used to make up the infusion. The incompatibility may be undetectable by visual inspection. In most cases sterile water as the diluent for subcutaneous infusions is preferred over sodium chloride 0.9%.

For advice on diluents, administration and the compatibility of combinations of medicines within a syringe, contact your local hospice or hospital medicines information centre.

For some carers it is possible, with training, to administer intermittent subcutaneous bolus doses of medicines to the dying, in the absence of a nurse. The nurse inserts a line attached to a bung subcutaneously and the carer uses this line to deliver the medicine, when symptoms are exacerbated.

The caring@home Project has been funded to develop and roll out a standardised resource kit to support nurses in the carer training role. It provides resources applicable Australia-wide for community service providers, health care professionals and carers to support carers to help manage breakthrough symptoms safely using subcutaneous medicines.

Prescribing guidance

palliAGEDgp smartphone application (available as an app or as online content)

Useful information

Brisbane South Palliative Care Collaborative

Safer Care Victoria

Therapeutic Guidelines: Palliative Care (subscription required)

Remember

Use more than one syringe driver if there are compatibility problems and alternative routes are unsuitable.

Medicines with long half-lives (e.g. dexamethasone or clonazepam) may be administered separately as a subcutaneous bolus, reducing the likelihood of compatibility problems.

Be practical - confirm the maximum volume that the syringe driver can handle.

Training the carer to administer bolus subcutaneous doses of medicines results in improved symptom management as well as being perceived as a privileged role by many carers.

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Subcutaneous administration of medicines is a safe and practical way of administering medicines to people with palliative needs. Continuous subcutaneous infusions often contain a mixture of medicines, e.g. opioid plus antiemetic(s).

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Face to Face Counselling or TELEHEALTH Australia Wide

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The Wellbeing Clinic for Older Adults provides face-to-face counselling to older adults living in residential aged care settings in Melbourne, Victoria and when possible, in other parts of Australia.

A major focus of counselling involves finding creative ways to engage with older adults, their families and aged care staff to help them cope with life transitions, loss, grief, physical health problems and mental health difficulties.

About our face-to-face counselling service

Counselling sessions are held face-to-face with the client on site at residential aged care facilities. Our counsellors are provisionally registered psychologists, social work interns and postgraduate counselling students, who are supervised by experienced practitioners.

They are available to provide you emotional support, listen attentively to the issues you are facing and assist you to address problems, worries or stress. Our counsellors can meet with you regularly to support you over the next few months.

Our counselling approach

Normative

We assume that many of the issues and problems faced by residential aged care clients arise due to changes in life circumstances, family relationships and living arrangement. Such issues do not necessarily indicate mental illnesses or cognitive deterioration.

Systemic

We assume that counselling is effective when it involves the client's system; we try to involve family and staff in supporting interventions for aged care residents. This approach emphasises the importance of a strong therapeutic relationship between the counsellor and client, with the involvement of family members, carers and facility staff.

Our range of interventions

Cognitive-behavioural therapy

This therapy is an exploration of clients' beliefs, behaviours and situations. It encourages clients to consider different ways of thinking and behaving in order to improve outcomes.

It also helps clients actively seek solutions to current problems and explores activities that are enjoyable and meaningful for the person as a way to address isolation, lethargy, loneliness and depressive symptoms.

Reminiscence and narrative therapies

These therapies involve discussions about the past in order to help clients remember important memories, reach an understanding about past events and clarify values. These therapies can culminate in a digital story or life book to highlight key autobiographical aspects of the client's life.

Supportive therapy

This therapy involves validation and rich listening techniques to help clients feel understood and appreciated. It appreciates the uniqueness of client's identity and life and can empower clients to reflect more deeply about their life, to claim more agency and control in their lives, and to arrive and unique insights about ways to address current problems.

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The Wellbeing Clinic for Older Adults provides face-to-face counselling to older adults living in residential aged care settings in Melbourne, Victoria and when possible, in other parts of Australia. A major focus of counselling involves finding creative ways to engage with older adults, their families and aged care staff to help them cope with life transitions, loss, grief, physical health problems and mental health difficulties.

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Palliative Care Australia's (PCA) Discussion Starter series and Card packs have been developed to reach into communities to normalise early conversations about the end-of-life, rather than waiting until more time-critical or medical-focused discussions need to occur. The resources have been developed to help Australians work out what's right for them if they were to become very sick or at the end of their lives.

While the design, order of sections and some of the information may have been adapted or updated across resources, they all can be used to get you started in this important discussion.

PCA thanks The Conversation Project and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement in Boston, MA, USA. Their Conversation Starter Kit is in many ways the inspiration for the original 2015 Discussion Starter. PCA also respectfully acknowledges that the Dying to Talk Discussion Cards was guided by Coda Alliance's Go Wish card game developed with the Archstone Foundation.

This Discussion Starter and card pack has been developed for Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples and their community, and...

The What Matters Most for Older Australians Discussion Starter and card pack has been developed for older people using aged...

This Discussion Starter and card pack has been developed by Palliative Care Australia (PCA), and trialled in collaboration with the...

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Palliative Care Australia's (PCA) Discussion Starter series and Card packs have been developed to reach into communities to normalise early conversations about the end-of-life, rather than waiting until more time-critical or medical-focused discussions need to occur. The resources have been developed to help Australians work out what's right for them if they were to become very sick or at the end of their lives.

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Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration (PCOC) Assessment Tools

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Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration (PCOC) Assessment Tools

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PCOC captures clinical meaningful information from across palliative care patient's disease trajectories using benchmarking tools.

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Assessment forms - University of Wollongong – UOW

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Every patient has the right to effective treatment and management for pain and symptoms. In addition to palliative outcomes and profile programs, PCOC uses five clinical assessment tools to help identify and manage these common symptoms.

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The Western Australian Centre for Rural Health would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land where we work. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and we celebrate their stories and culture.

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Palliative Care Australia Self Care Portal

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Palliative Care Australia Self Care Portal

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The Palliative Care Education Directory

PaCE is a resource directory for educators and health and aged care providers. Access relevant palliative care education resources direct to your device.

Palliative Care Workforce Development

Hear from Project Lead Distinguished Professor Patsy Yates AM on the development of the PaCE App.

Features

PaCE has been built to link learning resources to palliative care capabilities for the following groups:

How to use PaCE

To find out more about how to use the PaCE Directory App, watch this short video.

The PaCE Directory App includes resources from all the National Palliative Care Projects.

The Palliative Care Education and Training Collaborative acknowledges and pays our deepest respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of the many lands on which we work and live, and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

We respectfully acknowledge the cultural sensitivities surrounding Sorry Business, Sad News and 'finishing up'.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are advised that this website and resources linked may contain images, videos and voices of people who have passed away.

Create a shortcut

Once you have opened PaCE on your device, you can add a shortcut to the app.

Follow the instructions below for your preferred internet browser:
* Chrome: Tap the menu icon (three dots in the upper right-hand corner) and tap Add to homescreen.
* Safari: Tap the Share button on the menu bar, then tap on Add to Home Screen
* Edge: Tap on the horizontal three dots icon for the options menu, select the option Add to homescreen
* Firefox: Tap the menu button (either below the screen on some devices or in the upper right of the browser), then tap on page. Tap Add Page Shortcut.

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PaCE is a resource directory for educators and health and aged care providers. Access relevant palliative care education resources direct to your device. Hear from Project Lead Distinguished Professor Patsy Yates AM on the development of the PaCE App.

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Caring at home project

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Order your palliative care clinic box from caring@home project via this order form.

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A handy one page reminder guide to difficult conversations - NHS Frimley

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ELDAC End of Life Law Toolkit

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The Legal Toolkit provides practical information about the law at end of life for the aged care sector. It contains useful resources on end of life legal issues commonly encountered in aged care to help you to know the law and to support your practice.

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A useful guide to help when completing a Symptoms Assessment score.

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Healing Foundation: Working with Stolen Generations

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Healing Foundation: Working with Stolen Generations

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New resources for GP, dental and aged care services

GPs, dentists and aged care staff will be better placed to support Stolen Generations survivors following the launch of new resources by The Healing Foundation. The resources were launched recently by the Minister for Indigenous Australians, The Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP at Parliament House in Canberra.

The Stolen Generations Factsheets were developed in collaboration with Stolen Generations survivors and peak bodies including the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Australian Dental Association, Aged & Community Services Australia and the Aged Care Industry Association.

Interacting with aged care staff, GPs, dentists and other services is often difficult for Stolen Generations survivors, as everyday events can trigger the original trauma of forced removal, particularly if a situation brings back the lack of control Stolen Generations survivors experienced when they were taken from their families.

These Factsheets provide practical tips, tailored for GPs, dentists and aged care workers in providing support to Stolen Generations survivors.

Fact sheets for hospitals, allied health professionals and disability services are in development.

Read the media release here

"The fact sheets mean that we do not have to repeatedly tell our stories, or have to explain ourselves or be questioned why to be able to get the care we need."

- Ian Hamm, Stolen Generations Reference Group member

Download the fact sheets here

Trauma-aware, healing-informed practice

Trauma-aware, healing-informed practice is a strength-based approach to healing that is guided by a shared understanding of, and responsiveness to, the impacts of trauma. It prioritises cultural, spiritual, physical, psychological, and emotional safety but does not avoid addressing issues of high importance that are likely to be sensitive and triggering of trauma responses. Service providers need to be highly skilled in managing the likely effects of potentially triggering conversations and in working towards empowering people who access their services through upskilling and increasing understanding. Working in ways that there is no risk for 'no further harm'.

Download the snapshots here

"This new resource provides essential context and useful tools to assist GPs to identify and understand the impacts of trauma for their patients. These are principles of good clinical practice, which is beneficial for all patients."

- Associate Professor Peter O'Mara, The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

READ: This new report outlines key findings from the Kerriri Healing Forum. We acknowledge the representatives from... https://t.co/jLbVz0u6no

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Message: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this website may contain images, voices and names of people who have passed away.

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The Healing Foundation is currently updating this website with new data from the Make Healing Happen report. Please see the
full report for the most up-to-date data.

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Working with Stolen Generations | Healing Foundation

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GPs, dentists and aged care staff will be better placed to support Stolen Generations survivors following the launch of new resources by The Healing Foundation. The resources were launched recently by the Minister for Indigenous Australians, The Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP at Parliament House in Canberra.

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Practical tools have been developed to support people working in health care as they address people's emotional needs. Some of these tools, such as the PDQ, can be adapted to any health care situation and setting. Others are designed for specific situations where patient dignity may be at risk.

This section introduces:

The Patient Dignity Question (PDQ): The key question everyone working in health care should consider when interacting with patients

The Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI): 25 potential concerns that should be regularly evaluated by health care providers

Therapeutic Interventions: Practices to address the 20 most common concerns identified in dignity research

Dignity Therapy for dying patients: A model for individualized psychotherapy, developed and piloted by the team and intended for people near end of life

The Patient Dignity Question (PDQ)

The PDQ is a simple, open-ended question: "What do I need to know about you as a person to give you the best care possible?"

Research has shown that this single question can identify issues and stressors that may be important to consider when planning and delivering someone's care and treatment. The intent is to reveal the "invisible" factors that might not otherwise come to light - and to identify these concerns early in the process.

For example, consider these scenarios:

A man arrives at the ER following a car accident. The impact of the airbag has broken some of his fingers and perhaps damaged some nerves. It's amazing that the man escaped the crash without more serious injuries, and he's lucky that the injury was to his left hand because he is clearly right-handed. His pain has been addressed.Even so, his level of agitation is completely over the top. He's carrying on as if his life is at risk.
An observer might assume the man is just hysterical and unbalanced...until someone asks the Patient Dignity Question. They learn that the man is a professional musician who has recently been asked to join one of the finest symphony orchestras in the world, the job he's dreamed of for a decade.

Suddenly the hospital staff has the key piece of information they need to deal with the distraught man in a constructive and sensitive way. This information will be valuable to the health care team, and to everyone who comes in contact with the patient through the entire course of treatment.

A woman stumbles through the doors of an inner-city hospital in soiled, ragged clothing. Her speech is slurred and she can't seem to keep her balance. She smells of beer and cigarettes.
It would be easy to assume the woman is merely drunk, but asking the Patient Dignity Question reveals that she is a diabetic who has lost her medication. Her blood sugar levels have reached dangerously high levels and she is at risk of falling into a coma.

When to ask the PDQ
The Patient Dignity Question is useful during every stage of care and treatment, such as:

During routine physicals

While carrying out diagnostic tests

When admitting patients

Before providing personal care

When considering forms of treatment or therapy

While discussing home care or long-term care arrangements

Not everyone needs to ask the question aloud, but everyone working in health care can consider the question as they reflect on the best way to deal with individuals and their families.

The intent is to get everyone in the health care community thinking about patients as unique human beings, rather than focusing only a specific illness or collection of symptoms.

The Patient Dignity Inventory (PDI)

The PDI is designed to give clinicians a broad overview or "snapshot" of how someone in their care is doing at any point in time.

Using a simple questionnaire, patients are asked to rate their current condition on the basis of 25 different indicators. Each question is based on empirical research into the most common factors influencing people's personal sense of dignity.

For each factor, the person indicates his/her degree of concern on a five-point scale, with 1 representing "not a problem" and 5 representing "an overwhelming problem."

The questionnaire is designed to be used by physicians, nurses, social workers, pastoral care providers - anyone attempting to evaluate how a person in their care is coping.

Therapeutic Interventions

Dignity research shows that people may be dealing with any or all of these factors as they interact with the health care system.

Click on the sub-themes to learn more about how the health care team can deal with each concern and strengthen patients' personal sense of dignity.

Therapeutic Interventions

Category

Themes and Sub-themes

Illness-Related Concerns

Symptom distress

Level of independence

The Patient's Perspectives and Practices

(The Dignity-Conserving Repertoire)

How the patient perceives the situation

What the patient does to ease the situation

Interactions with Others

(The Social Dignity Inventory)

Dignity Therapy for dying patients

Dignity Therapy was developed by Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov to assist people dealing with the imminent end of their lives.

This brief intervention can help conserve the dying patient's sense of dignity by addressing sources of psychosocial and existential distress. It gives patients a chance to record the me aningful aspects of their lives and leave something behind that can benefit their loved ones in the future.

During a 30 to 60 minute session, the therapist asks a series of open-ended questions that encourage patients to talk about their lives or what matters most to them. The conversation is recorded, transcribed, edited and then returned within a few days to the patient, who is given the opportunity to read the transcript and make changes before a final version is produced. Many choose to share the document with family and friends.

Advantages of Dignity Therapy
Concerns addressed by Dignity Therapy
Satisfaction with Dignity Therapy
Dignity Therapy questions
Dignity Therapy training
Feedback from patients and families

Advantages of Dignity Therapy

Dignity Therapy borrows elements from other supporti ve techniques, such as life review, logotherapy and existential psychotherapy. Unlike life review, Dignity Therapy is not a historical recounting of events - i t is a recounting of thoughts, ideas and events that are particularly relevant and meaningful for patients to recount and pass along to others. For most patients, it is an opportunity to share the moments that shaped their lives.

An important difference of Dignity Therapy is its grounding in sound research into dying patients' self-reported notions of dignity. It addresses the dying patient's need to feel that life has had meaning, and to do something for loved ones that will endure beyond the patient's own life. It also helps the patient get in touch with the accomplishments and experiences that have made them unique and valued human beings.

Initial trials suggest Dignity Therapy offers many advantages over other supportive approaches:

It is brief

Can be done at the bedside

Has the potential to favourably influence patients as well as their loved ones

Places less weight on interpretation, insight and "working through," and more emphasis on the meaning-enhancing process itself

How Dignity Therapy addresses end-of-life concerns

Dignity Therapy deals with emotional pain by targeting its source. The content, protocol and questions are all guided by the Dignity Model sub-themes.

The dying patient's strong need for "generativity" and "legacy" is the basis for the therapy. The therapy creates something that will transcend the patient's death and extend his or her influence across time. Capturing the patient's thoughts in written form is particularly effective because it increases the sense that whatever is said will be preserved for the future.

However, simply creating the legacy document is not enough. Those who practice Dignity Therapy must listen to these stories with genuine empathy, attentiveness, interest and sensitivity. Anything less will fail to meet the patient's need for treatment that is unconditionally positive and caring in tone.

The questions asked during Dignity Therapy are shaped by the Dignity-Conserving Perspectives and Aftermath Concerns that are identified in the Dignity Model. Each area of inquiry lets patients speak to issues that may reinforce their sense of personhood and sustain a sense of meaning, purpose and self-worth - thereby decreasing distress and improving their quality of life.

Satisfaction with Dignity Therapy

The first clinical trial using Dignity Therapy has overwhelmingly affirmed the value of this method for patients and families.
Patient satisfaction with Dignity Therapy

Satisfied or highly satisfied

91%

Helpful or very helpful

86%

Increased sense of dignity

76%

Increased sense of purpose

68%

Heightened sense of meaning

67%

Increased will to live

47%

Believed it had or would help their family

81%

Families' perceived benefits for the patient

Helped the patient

95%

Would recommend it to other patients

95%

Gave the patient a greater sense of dignity

78%

Heightened the patient's sense of purpose

72%

Helped the patient prepare for death

65%

Was an important as aspect of care for their deceased loved ones as anything else that was done on their behalf

65%

Reduced patient's suffering

43%

Benefits for the family

Helped surviving family during time of grief

78%

Will continue to comfort family

77%

Since the first trial, hundreds of patients have participated in Dignity Therapy in Canada, the United States, Australia, China, Japan, Denmark and Sweden. The most compelling evidence of its effectiveness is the stories of those who have experienced it.

Questions asked during Dignity Therapy

"Tell me a little about your life history, particularly the parts that you either remember most, or think are the most important. When did you feel most alive?"

"Are there specific things that you would want your family to know about you, and are there particular things you would want them to remember?"

"What are the most important roles you have played in life (family roles, vocational roles, community service roles, etc.)? Why were they so important to you, and what do you think you accomplished in those roles?"

"What are your most important accomplishments, and what do you feel most proud of?"

"Are there particular things that you feel still need to be said to your loved ones, or things that you would want to take the time to say once again?"

"What are your hopes and dreams for your loved ones?"

"What have you learned about life that you would want to pass along to others? What advice or words of guidance would you wish to pass along to your (son, daughter, husband, wife, parents, others)?"

"Are there words or perhaps even instructions you would like to offer your family to help prepare them for the future?"

"In creating this permanent record, are there other things that you would like included?"

Reproduced with permission from the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Dignity Therapy training

Dignity Therapy training workshops are held regularly. To register, visit http://workshops.dignityincare.ca/default.asp.

For more information, please contact workshop@dignityincare.ca.

In their own words

Since the first trial, hundreds of patients have participated in Dignity Therapy in Canada, the United States, Australia, China, Japan, Denmark and Sweden. The most compelling evidence of its effectiveness is the stories of those who have experienced it.

Comments from patients

"I see (taking part in this study) as one reason why I am alive."

"It's helped bring my memories, thoughts and feelings into perspective instead of all jumbled emotions running through my head. The most important thing has been that I'm able to leave a sort of 'insight' of myself for my husband and children and all my family and friends."

"Dignity Therapy was a lovely experience. Getting down on paper what I thought was a dull, boring life really opened my eyes to how much I really have done."

"This experience has helped me to delve within myself and see more meaning to my life. I really look forward to sharing it with my family. I have no doubt that it will be enlightening to them."

Comments from families

"Mom was extremely closed emotionally and had huge difficulties expressing her feelings. This gave her an opportunity to do so without feeling vulnerable."

"He had something to say, wanted to be heard, wanted to pass on a message of hope. It helped him find some value in what he had done and remember who he was."

"Being able to read his words will be a way of helping me to remember him, and to think of him. I didn't always understand him, because he was a free spirit and I was the worrier. Maybe I didn't trust God enough. I'm glad I'll have his words to comfort me."

"(The transcript was) magnificent. (My husband) wanted to contribute. The interview gave him a 'second chance' to do something to help."

"Reading the document gave my mom a sense of accomplishment, I believe. It gave her a tangible way of looking back at a life well-lived."

"He felt that our grandsons - including our latest, whom unfortunately he never lived to see - would get some idea of his life and what he had achieved."

"Dignity Therapy legitimizes your life and provides an opportunity to put down on paper what you hope is your legacy."

"I would say that it was more helpful than any mourning aspect. It helped me move past it. Family and friends are certainly a support but through the document, my mom was also able to provide support."

"It is something to hold onto at the time of Dad's passing and it made Dad's life and ways alive and tender."

"I think the Dignity Therapy truly helped him feel as though he were doing something useful and to be able to leave behind a part of himself. That in turn has helped myself and the children as it is almost like receiving a special gift of his words that we can have for our lifetime."

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Practical tools have been developed to support people working in health care as they address people's emotional needs. Some of these tools, such as the PDQ, can be adapted to any health care situation and setting. Others are designed for specific situations where patient dignity may be at risk.

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PCOC Palliative Assessment and Clinical Response form

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PCOC Palliative Assessment and Clinical Response form

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CALD Assist™ offers a simple and dynamic way for health care workers to communicate with patients from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds when an interpreter is not available.

Featuring phrases commonly used during basic care interactions translated and recorded in 10 common languages (plus English), CALD Assist™ facilitates basic care interactions to support patient care.

CALD Assist™ was developed by Western Health in partnership with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) with support from Better Care Victoria, and with previous support from the Victorian Government Technology Innovation Fund.

The award winning CALD Assist™ app now includes COVID-19 screening questions to facilitate communication in COVID-19 Testing Clinics and screening of health service visitors and outpatients.

10 common languages: Arabic, Cantonese, Croatian, Greek, Italian, Macedonian, Mandarin, Serbian, Spanish and Vietnamese plus English

Over 200 phrases commonly used during basic care interactions translated and audio recorded

Phrases grouped into seven clinical specialties including Dietetics, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Podiatry, Speech Pathology, Nursing and COVID-19

Images and video to enhance communication between health care workers and their patients

Answer options to enable patients to respond to simple questions

Developed in collaboration with nursing staff, allied health clinicians, infectious diseases specialists, interpreters and patients

Now available for use on Apple and Android devices, including smartphones

To access CALD Assist, simply download for from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

For further information please contact [email protected]

EVALUATION TRIAL RESULTS

A 3 ½ month evaluation trial was conducted across 4 inpatient wards at Sunshine, Footscray and Williamstown Hospitals during 2017. Results from this trial include:

Interactions with patients from non-English speaking backgrounds were rated as more successful when the CALD Assist app was used by staff.

With use of the CALD Assist app, staff report of 'confidence' in patient's understanding increased.

The level of staff frustration was rated lower when the CALD Assist app was used to communicate with patients from non-English speaking backgrounds.

The majority of staff and patient participants believe the CALD Assist app is useful to communicate with patients from non-English speaking background.

Staff and patients were positive about using the CALD Assist app, and its functionality.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Does CALD Assist replace interpreter use?
No. CALD Assist is designed to assist communication during basic care interactions only, when it is not possible or practical to have an interpreter present.

How do I know that the phrases in CALD Assist are accurate?
All phrases in CALD Assist have been translated and independently checked by professional translators. Interpreters at Western Health have then also checked all phrases to ensure that they are accurate.

How do I download CALD Assist to my tablet or smartphone?
CALD Assist can be downloaded via the Apple App Store or Google Play for free.

Can CALD Assist be used on my smartphone?
Yes. CALD Assist may be used on either a smartphone or tablet device. A tablet device may be more appropriate to use with patients who are visually impaired

2018 iAwards Victoria Merit Certificate (Public Sector and Government)

2018 iAwards Pitchfest winner

2017 The Health Roundtable Innovations Award 'Improving the Continuum of Care'

2015 Health Informatics Society Australia, Branko Cesnik Award for Best Academic/Scientific paper

2015 Gold 'Improving health equality and closing the gap', Victorian Public Healthcare Awards

REFERENCES
Freyne, Jill; Bradford, Dana; Pocock, Courtney; Silvera, David; Harrap, Karen; Brinkmann, Sally. Developing digital facilitation of assessments in the absence of an interpreter: participatory design and feasibility evaluation with allied health groups. JMIR formative research. 2018; 2(1):e1.

Silvera, David; Pocock, Courtney; Bradford, Dana; Donnell, Andrea; Harrap, Karen; Freyne, Jill; et al. CALD Assist - Nursing: Improving Communication in the Absence of Interpreters. Journal of Clinical Nursing. 2018; 27(21-22):4168-4178.

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CALD Assist™ offers a simple and dynamic way for health care workers to communicate with patients from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds when an interpreter is not available. Featuring phrases commonly used during basic care interactions translated and recorded in 10 common languages (plus English), CALD Assist™ facilitates basic care interactions to support patient care.

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Palliative Care 11 Tips: LGBTIQ+ Health Australia

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Palliative Care 11 Tips: LGBTIQ+ Health Australia

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Palliative Care 11 tips Poster

Tips for health professionals that lead to more inclusive palliative care for LGBTIQ+ people.

Palliative Care week 2021 was a time to reflect and learn more about what palliative care is and why it is important.

LGBTIQ+ Health Australia will be shared tips for health professionals that lead to more inclusive palliative care for LGBTIQ+ people.
Access poster

ABOUT LGBTIQ+ Health Australia LGBTIQ+ Health Australia, (formerly the National LGBTI Health Alliance), is the national peak health organisation in Australia for organisations and individuals that provide health-related programs, services and research focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer people and other sexuality, gender and bodily diverse (LGBTIQ+) people and communities. Dropping the "+" from our name only occurs within digital formats that do not allow mathematical symbols, such as within our domain name, handles and hashtags.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY LGBTIQ+ Health Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia, their diversity, histories and knowledge and their continuing connections to land and community. We pay our respects to all Australian Indigenous Peoples and their cultures, and to Elders of past, present and future generations.

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Tips for health professionals that lead to more inclusive palliative care for LGBTIQ+ people. Palliative Care week 2021 was a time to reflect and learn more about what palliative care is and why it is important. LGBTIQ+ Health Australia will be shared tips for health professionals that lead to more inclusive palliative care for LGBTIQ+ people.

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The Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017, passed by the Victorian Parliament in November 2017, comes into effect on 19 June 2019. From that date, Victorians at the end-of-life who are suffering and who meet strict eligibility criteria will be able to request access to voluntary assisted dying.

The intervening 18-month implementation period was put in place to allow health services time to plan and prepare for voluntary assisted dying, and to develop resources for consumers and health practitioners.

One resource now established is the Statewide Voluntary Assisted Dying Care Navigation Service. It is currently staffed by two full time Voluntary Assisted Dying Care Navigators.

The program aims to ensure equity of access to support and information, regardless of a person's health service provider or a health service's level of participation in Voluntary Assisted Dying.

The Role of Voluntary Assisted Dying Care Navigators

The Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) Care Navigator is a key support role for anyone across Victoria seeking information about voluntary assisted dying or assistance going through the process.

VAD Care Navigators react and respond to contacts made with them. They take queries from anyone and their role is to:

Facilitate access to support needed, including End-of-Life Care, bereavement etc.Support ineligible people as requested

Provide access to Support Packages

Inform the future service model through evaluation

Provide education to health services

They do not proactively engage all people seeking voluntary assisted dying, develop local policies or procedures, promote voluntary assisted dying or case manage individual requests for voluntary assisted dying.

Support Packages

Some financial support is available for people accessing voluntary assisted dying to help enable fairness and equity in access.

For example, should a patient usually see his/her doctor in an organisation which does not support voluntary assisted dying, funding can be provided to support travel to the doctor's private rooms and cover any out of pocket private consultation costs.

The Care Navigators will work closely with the person, his or her carer/s, family and care teams to determine the specific needs of the person and if a Support Package is required.

Further Development of the Service

Much planning, community consultation and work has already been done to establish the Statewide VAD Care Navigation Service. But the service is very new, and further development will rely on feedback from the community - consumers, patients, doctors and health services.

For example, funding is allocated for two additional full-time positions, which will be filled later based on identified needs. It has not yet been determined where would be the most suitable location(s) and whether they should be full time positions or part time equivalents.

As the VAD Care Navigators said at the recent Voluntary Assisted Dying Implementation Conference, "A key output is to inform the future service development. We need to work together to help get it right".

For more information on voluntary assisted dying, please see here.

DWDV would like to build a list of GPs who are supportive of VAD. When next you see your GP, please ask "If I were eligible under the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act, would you support me if I wanted to use the process?" Then, let us know - are they supportive or not? Please help us to help you, and others.

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The Statewide VAD Care Navigator Service

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The Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017, passed by the Victorian Parliament in November 2017, comes into effect on 19 June 2019. From that date, Victorians at the end-of-life who are suffering and who meet strict eligibility criteria will be able to request access to voluntary assisted dying.

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PCOCs 5 Phases of Care - The phase of care is determined by a holistic clinical assessment, which considers the needs of the patient and their family/carers.

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Palliative Care for CALD communities

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You can use 'end of life and palliative care' services to help you and your family as you approach the end of your life. You can receive care in hospital or in your home. There are palliative care services that can help you and your family according to your cultural or religious beliefs.

The 2011 Australian Census of Population and Housing shows that Victorians come from more than 200 countries, speak 260 languages other than English at home, and follow some 130 religious faiths. Over a quarter of Victorians were born overseas and nearly half were either born overseas or have a parent born overseas.

You may be from a culturally and linguistically diverse background, or be a refugee or asylum seeker, but you contribute enormously to Victoria's economic strength and social resilience.

Your community may have unique views, understandings and traditions about the end of life and loss, grief and bereavement. Healthcare workers come from a variety of different cultures and can provide care that is culturally appropriate for you.

Information in languages other than English

End of life and palliative care information in numerous languages is available on the . Languages include , , , , , , , , , , and and many more.

Topics include family and carer information, the last days of life, advance care planning and helping people with a life-limiting illness to live well.

Audio podcasts that you can listen to are available in numerous languages from the podcast library at .

Further information is also available from the .

Victoria's end of life and palliative care framework

A summary of Victoria's end of life and palliative care framework is available in , , , , , , , , and .

Further information is also available from the .

More Information

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Palliative care for culturally and linguistically diverse communities

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You can use 'end of life and palliative care' services to help you and your family as you approach the end of your life. You can receive care in hospital or in your home. There are palliative care services that can help you and your family according to your cultural or religious beliefs.

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Back to shop

The What Matters Most resources are for older people using aged care services. They are designed to be used with health or aged care staff. They can help older people work out what would be right for them, if they were really sick or at the end of their life rather than waiting for a crisis to occur. The resources can be used to help health and aged care workers and the older person to have these important discussions with the person's family and friends.

What Matters Most Discussion Starter includes questions about the older person, about their health and about what they might want at the end of their life. The questions can be used by the health or aged care worker to guide the conversation with the older person as they explore What Matters Most to them.

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Back to shop The What Matters Most resources are for older people using aged care services. They are designed to be used with health or aged care staff. They can help older people work out what would be right for them, if they were really sick or at the end of their life rather than waiting for a crisis to occur.

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Victoria was the first state in Australia to pass voluntary assisted dying laws. The Voluntary Assisted Dying Act (2017) provides a safe legal framework for people who are suffering and dying to choose the manner and timing of their death.

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The Victorian Government believes all Victorians are entitled to quality end of life care, which relieves pain and suffering, and provides compassionate support to family, friends and carers.

On 19 June 2019 the came into effect. Victorians who are at the end of life and who meet strict eligibility criteria can now request access to voluntary assisted dying.

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The Victorian Government believes all Victorians are entitled to quality end of life care, which relieves pain and suffering, and provides compassionate support to family, friends and carers. On 19 June 2019 the came into effect. Victorians who are at the end of life and who meet strict eligibility criteria can now request access to voluntary assisted dying.

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Power of music - creating meaning and connectedness - Spiritual Care

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Bailarina con Alzheimer baila El Lago de los Cisnes - Música para Despertar

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The Human Connection of Palliative Care

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The Human Connection of Palliative Care: Ten Steps for What To Say and Do

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Meaningful Ageing Australia is pleased to announce the release of the National Guidelines for Spiritual Care in Aged Care. The Guidelines are based on the principles of a whole-of-organisation approach, valuing relational care, affirming that spiritual care is everyone's business, and that spiritual care is about growth and flourishing. The Guidelines put forward five domains of spiritual care, with ten outcomes under each domain:
1. Organisational leadership and alignment
2. Relationships and connectedness
3. Identifying and meeting spiritual needs
4. Ethical context of spiritual care
5. Enabling spiritual expression

Below are the documents that were created as part of the National Guidelines for Spiritual Care in Aged Care project. You are free to download, use and share these documents as needed. Meaningful Ageing Australia offers a support and education service to members who would like assistance with implementation. Contact our office for more information: admin@meaningfulage.org.au or (03) 8387 2274. Our membership application form is here.

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National Guidelines for Spiritual Care in Aged Care documents - Meaningful Ageing Australia

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Meaningful Ageing Australia is pleased to announce the release of the National Guidelines for Spiritual Care in Aged Care. The Guidelines are based on the principles of a whole-of-organisation approach, valuing relational care, affirming that spiritual care is everyone's business, and that spiritual care is about growth and flourishing.

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Communication Guidelines with suggested phrases & responses you might try.