AUDIO: Increased investment in palliative care can result in improved health outcomes for a person at end of life in a cost-effective way, Professor David Currow told the Australian Association of Gerontology national conference on Wednesday.
Professor Currow, who is professor palliative and supportive services at Flinders University, said good end-of-life care aimed to optimise function and comfort in a person’s physical, emotional, existential, social, sexual and financial domains.
Pain and symptom control is a priority as is supporting the caregivers whom we rely so much on so they know how to provide the best care and where to get help, he said.
Speaking to AAA after his presentation, Professor Currow outlines the case for more investment in palliative care and offers the priorities to focus on:
(Please note audio may not work properly on older versions of Internet Explorer and needs to be rectified on user’s end).
I was most interested in David’s information and talk and also the research article about the satisfaction with end of life care and that, ‘the patients and their family members are systematically excluded from routine satisfaction surveys.’ On Monday 1st December in Port Lincoln the Eyre Peninsula Home Hospice Association Inc. signed a Service Agreement with Calvary Home Care Services Ltd to provide palliative care after hours for a 12 month trial period. This trial is funded by the local community with $160,000 available. It is proposed to have the trial assessed by the patient, family and carers and would appreciate assistance with the preparation of the survey and implementation. Would David and the Flinders University be interested in helping us?
Mrs Liz Penfold, Chair