The landscape for aged care and end-of-life care continues to shift in Australia, with the impact of an ageing population and as community attitudes and expectation towards ageing and person-centred care evolve.
The recent Royal Commission into Aged Care has highlighted the need to develop and train a high-quality aged care workforce in an effort to help more Australians live as well as possible in their final years.
The case for change
The Royal Commission released a background paper, Advance Care Planning in Australia, in June 2019 as part of their broader agenda of inquiry. The paper sets out the case for increasing access to and uptake of quality advance care planning in aged care. It also outlines opportunities for improvement and specifically cited lifting the education of the aged care workforce as a means to improving advance care planning practice in the sector.
Supporting Australia’s aged care workforce to start conversations that matter
Australia’s aged care sector is under pressure to grow their workforce to meet future demand, while delivering consistent, quality care across the nation. Resources for training are limited. The sector needs more support and education to ensure advance care planning is well-coordinated, delivered respectfully and within legal frameworks.
Advance Care Planning Australia offers education and support to the aged care sector through:
- Free online education to upskill their workforce in advance care planning
- An evidence-based acp implementation guide for aged care providers
- Free National Support Service for both aged care workers and the general public
Since 2017, around 7000 aged care workers and health professionals across Australia have signed up to Advance Care Planning Australia’s online learning. It offers access to anywhere, anytime online training. The curriculum comprises 10 learning modules which include starting advance care planning conversations, dealing with patients with Dementia, as well as cultural and legal considerations.
Advance Care Planning Australia looks forward to our continued work in supporting Australia’s aged care sector and its workforce and ensuring that older Australians are empowered to make their own medical treatment decisions and according to their values, regardless of what the future brings.
Linda Nolte
Program Director
Advance Care Planning Australia