In aged care, conversations about goals of care, dying and end of life, are often complex and sometimes delayed, despite their importance to the older person, their families and staff. National Palliative Care Week (10-16 May) encourages us to get to the heart of palliative care by asking big questions and engaging in open, honest conversations.
As the national evidence resource for palliative care in aged care, palliAGED supports the workforce to approach these conversations with confidence and compassion. Recently updated palliAGED Introduction Modules, including a module on Talking about Dying, are designed to help staff build foundational skills for sensitive communication, recognise opportunities to start conversations earlier, and respond to the needs of older people and their families.