scholarly journals Palliative care delivery in residential aged care: Bereaved family member experiences of the Supportive Hospice Aged Residential Exchange (SHARE) intervention

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosemary Ann Frey ◽  
Sophia Barham ◽  
Deborah Balmer ◽  
Michal Boyd ◽  
Jackie Robinson ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: The supportive hospice aged residential exchange (SHARE) is a new model of palliative care education that has been designed for residential aged care. The goal of SHARE is to help clinical staff improve palliative care within residential aged care facilities and to improve specialist palliative care nurses' knowledge and skill to care for frail older people. Method: The experiences of 18 bereaved families concerning the palliative care journey (both at the start and finish of a one-year implementation of SHARE) were explored using semi-structured interviews.Results: Three themes were important to bereaved families’ experience: communication with staff, systems of care, and hospice involvement. Sub-themes indicating changes in these three components of care between the start and finish of SHARE was identified. A fourth theme highlighted challenges (relationship with GP, staff shortages, and turnover) that continued across SHARE.Conclusion: Findings indicated that SHARE benefited families (improved communication and support) through the end of life journey of their relatives, but challenges remained.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosemary Ann Frey ◽  
Sophia Barham ◽  
Deborah Balmer ◽  
Jackie Robinson ◽  
Michal Boyd ◽  
...  

Abstract Background : The supportive hospice aged residential exchange (SHARE) is a new model of palliative care education that has been designed for residential aged care. The goal of SHARE is to help clinical staff improve palliative care within residential aged care facilities and to improve specialist palliative care nurses' knowledge and skill to care for frail older people. Method : The experiences of 18 bereaved families concerning the palliative care journey (both at the start and finish of a one-year implementation of SHARE) were explored using semi-structured interviews. Results: Three themes were important to bereaved families’ experience: communication with staff, systems of care, and hospice involvement. Sub-themes indicating changes in these three components of care between the start and finish of SHARE was identified. A fourth theme highlighted challenges (relationship with GP, staff shortages and turnover) that continued across SHARE. Conclusion : Findings indicated that SHARE benefited families (improved communication and support) through the end of life journey of their relatives, but challenges remained.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosemary Ann Frey ◽  
Sophia Barham ◽  
Deborah Balmer ◽  
Jackie Robinson ◽  
Michal Boyd ◽  
...  

Abstract BackgroundThe supportive hospice aged residential Exchange (SHARE) is a new model of palliative care education that has been designed for residential aged care. The goal of SHARE is to help clinical staff improve palliative care within residential aged care facilities and to improve specialist palliative care nurses' knowledge and skill to care for frail older people.MethodThe experiences of 16 bereaved families concerning the palliative care journey (both at the start and finish of a one-year implementation of SHARE) were explored using semi-structured interviews.ResultsFour themes were important to bereaved families’ experience: communication with staff, relationship with general practitioners, systems of care, and hospice involvement. A sub-theme indicating changes in these four components of care between the start and finish of SHARE was identified. A fifth theme highlighted challenges (staff shortages and turnover).ConclusionFindings indicated that SHARE benefited families (improved communication and support) through the end of life journey of their relatives, but challenges remained.


2011 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 95 ◽  
Author(s):  
Geoffrey Mitchell ◽  
Caroline Nicholson ◽  
Keith McDonald ◽  
Anne Bucetti

The delivery of palliative care in residential aged care communities is challenging, even more so in rural areas due to workforce ageing and shortages. The objectives of the present study were to: (i) assess the needs of, and quality of palliative care delivered to residents of 16 residential aged care facilities in rural southern Australia; and (ii) identify the needs of care staff to facilitate the delivery of quality palliative care. A cross-sectional survey of all residents, assessing the degree of functional limitation, stage of palliative care, and the presence of several quality indicators was conducted. Separate focus groups of care staff and relatives of residents sought information on the quality of care delivered, perceived strengths and weaknesses of the care delivered, and education and training needs. Quality palliative care in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) is hampered by workforce shortages, with low ratios of registered nurses, limited access to general practitioners after hours, and some communication difficulties. Some staff reported low confidence in technical and psychosocial aspects of care, especially for relatives. Relatives described mostly appropriate care, while acknowledging workload constraints. Most residents whose condition was unstable, deteriorating or terminal received advance care planning, though family expectations and unwillingness to discuss end-of-life care did tend to delay planning. Unstable residents with a reasonable prognosis were more likely to be transferred to hospital than terminally ill residents. Palliative care in participating RACFs appears to be adequate. Provision of targeted education for health care providers and implementation of protocols for advance care planning and end-of life care pathways will enhance this care.


2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydia Hearn ◽  
Linda Slack-Smith

The limited access to oral care for older people living in residential aged care facilities (RACFs) has been noted repeatedly in the literature. The aim of this study was to explore RACF staff perspectives on how to engage dental professionals in the provision of oral care for RACF residents. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 30 staff from six purposively selected RACFs located in high socioeconomic areas to gain understanding of the multidimensional issues that influenced the engagement of dental professionals from a carer perspective. Analysis revealed that staff perceived tensions regarding affordability, availability, accessibility and flexibility of dental professionals as significant barriers to better oral care for their residents. Participants raised a series of options for how to better engage dental professionals and reduce these barriers. Their ideas included: the engagement of RACF staff in collaborative discussions with representatives of public and private dental services, dental associations, corporate partners and academics; the use of hygienists/oral health therapists to educate and motivate RACF staff; the promotion of oral health information for troubleshooting and advice on how to deal with residents’ dental pain while waiting for support; the encouragement of onsite training for dental professionals; and the importance of gerodontology (geriatric dentistry). Findings highlighted the need to explore alternative approaches to delivering oral care that transcend the model of private clinical practice to focus instead on the needs of RACFs and take into account quality of end-of-life oral care.


2005 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
CAROL GRBICH ◽  
IAN MADDOCKS ◽  
DEBORAH PARKER ◽  
MARGARET BROWN ◽  
EILEEN WILLIS ◽  
...  

Objective: To identify criteria for measuring the eligibility of patients with end-stage noncancer diseases for palliative care services in Australian residential aged care facilities.Methods: No validated set if guidelines were available so five instruments were used: an adaptation of the American National Hospice Association Guidelines; a recent adaptation of the Karnofsky Performance Scale; the Modified Barthel Index; the Abbey Pain Score for assessment of people who are nonverbal and a Verbal Descriptor Scale, also for pain measurement. In addition, nutritional status and the presence of other problematic symptoms and their severity were also sought.Results: The adapted American National Hospice Association Guidelines provided an initial indicative framework and the other instruments were useful in providing confirmatory data for service eligibility and delivery.


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