New program delivers support for end of life carers

An important new program to improve the delivery of advance care planning and palliative care services to older Australians was officially launched in Canberra today.

Funded by the Australian Government, Decision Assist provides a range of new support services for all those involved in caring for the elderly either in aged care facilities or community services, including general practitioners, registered nurses, allied health and personal care workers.

The services include a new national 24/7 telephone advisory service – 1300 668 908 – for aged care providers to call for immediate assistance with palliative care needs and for advance care planning advice 12-hours daily; as well as specialised training and workshops for GPs and aged care staff to enhance their knowledge and skills about advance care planning and palliative care.

Also included are online resources and mobile applications to enable quick and convenient access to authoritative end of life care information, linkages projects to promote better coordinated care among service providers and a new website – www.decisionassist.org.au – a central information hub on advance care planning and palliative care.

“As the prevalence of ageing Australians with progressive chronic diseases and frailty continues to increase, aged care providers face increasingly complex ethical, legal and clinical challenges associated with the management of timely and appropriate palliative care for these older patients,” said Associate Professor Bill Silvester, program lead for Decision Assist.

“Decision Assist aims to help them address those challenges and ultimately deliver the best quality care to older Australians, by providing up-to-date information and support on advance care planning and palliative care.”

“It brings specialist advice and support directly to them, where and when they need it, regardless of where they are in Australia,” he added.

The Decision Assist Palliative Care Phone Advisory Service – 1300 668 908 – is operated by specialist palliative care nurses, with specialist doctors available as required. Advice can be provided on a range of issues, from symptom management and medication advice, to bereavement and psychosocial support.

The service is available to GPs and aged care providers Australia-wide for the cost of a local call. Mobile calls are charged at mobile rates.

The Advance Care Planning Phone Advisory Service is also available for GPs and aged care providers on the same number from 8am until 8pm daily. Specialist operators can answer questions ranging from how best to initiate the important conversations that need to be had, to developing an appropriate advance care plan, understanding legal frameworks and implementing a comprehensive model of care.

Specialised workshops for GPs, for residential care providers and for those delivering Home Care Package services are also now available nationally, to meet their respective needs on advance care planning and palliative care. To find out more about the individual workshops, locations and times, visit the website – www.decisionassist.org.au

Decision Assist, launched today at Canberra’s Goodwin Village in Ainslie, is also providing a range of grants to improve coordination among service providers. In the coming months, it will deliver education and training resources online to meet the individual needs of the many different service providers involved in aged care.

“This is a really unique service that is making it easier for aged care providers to get access to the information they need to deliver the best quality end of life care,” A/Professor Silvester said.

“It also complements the great work that is going on in the sector, by promoting additional support and coordination of services, which will ultimately help older Australians get the care, dignity and respect they deserve at the end of life.”

(Source: Decision Assist)