New resources to help support carers of patients receiving palliative care at home
As more people choose to receive palliative care at home, care is increasingly delivered by a team that extends beyond healthcare professionals. Alongside family members and other informal carers, care workers play an important role in supporting people to remain comfortable, maintain their dignity and receive care in familiar surroundings.
A new suite of free, evidence-based resources from caring@home has been developed in partnership with Support at Home providers from across Australia to support care workers providing end-of-life care in the home.
Practical resources to support home-based palliative care
Whether supporting someone through a home care service or caring for a loved one as a family member or friend, having access to practical, evidence-based information can help build confidence and support high-quality palliative care at home.
New caring@home educational resources for care workers supporting people receiving palliative and end-of-life care have been adapted from earlier resources developed for family members and informal carers.
The resources can be accessed on the caring@home website and include:
symptom management tip sheets to support the recognition of common end-of-life symptoms and appropriate non-pharmacological care
practical care guides covering common aspects of personal care
short instructional videos demonstrating practical care techniques.
Access the resources
The new free resources and many more are available to view and download from the caring@home website.
See the resources for:
Care workers supporting people receiving palliative care at home
Family members and informal carers caring for a loved one at home
General practitioners (GPs) and other primary healthcare professionals caring for patients who are palliative.
Helpful links for health professionals
Healthcare professionals looking for additional clinical information can find local guidelines and referral pathways for palliative care and advance care planning at Brisbane South HealthPathways:
Supporting coordinated palliative care across our region
These resources are being promoted locally through the Brisbane South Palliative Care Collaborative (BSPCC), which brings together Metro South Health, Brisbane South PHN and sector partners to strengthen collaboration and coordination across the region shared by Brisbane South PHN and Metro South Health.
The BSPCC delivers national, state and local programs and projects that drive excellence in palliative and end-of-life care and advance care planning, aiming to improve outcomes for palliative patients, clinicians and the healthcare system.