Grant to improve end-of-life care
The $85K project will lead to a better understanding of the needs of older Australians towards the end of their life.
Advance care plan platform Touchstone Life Care and aged care provider Whiddon have received a grant of $85,000 to deliver digital ACPs to 1,600 aged care residents.
Founded and developed by Dr Merran Cooper, Touchstone Life Care is Australia’s first fully digital ACP platform. “We are thrilled to partner with Whiddon to deliver digital ACPs to more Australians over the next 12 months, and I want to thank the Wicking Trust for this opportunity.”
The Wicking Trust – which donated the money – is a charitable organisation that allocates grants to people, programs and research that significantly improve the quality of life and death for older Australians.
“We have a very clear alignment with the Touchstone Life Care platform and the benefits it brings to older Australians in their end-of-life planning,” said Susie Meagher – grant program manager for Equity Trustees, which manages the Wicking Trust. “This project will gather data to help us better understand the needs of older Australians towards the end of their life and improve the aged care and end-of-life care given to this cohort.”
The project will integrate the cloud-based platform into Whiddon’s systems, involve training sessions for Whiddon employees, and allow Whiddon residents and clients to create, edit and discuss their digital ACP before they’re needed.
“It’s never easy having a discussion about your end-of-life wishes, but it is a reality we all need to face,” said Whiddon deputy chief executive officer Alyson Jarrett.
“This project will ensure that older Australians in our care will have control over their preferences for end-of-life care, even if their communication is impacted due to illness or incapacity.”
She added: “This fosters a sense of control and dignity, enhancing overall wellbeing and respect for residents in their final stages of life.”
The project is already underway across a number of Whiddon homes in New South Wales and Queensland.
Studies show very few Australians have an ACP. “Many people don’t want to think about their end-of-life planning,” said Dr Cooper. “But avoiding it can cause complications both for yourself and your family during a very distressing time.”
Research shows that ACPs significantly reduce the burden of grief for carers and family members, said Dr Cooper, “but they need to be kept up-to-date, shared ahead of need, and available when required.”
Touchstone partners with Telstra
Meanwhile, Touchstone Life Care has partnered with Telstra Health to make the platform more accessible to aged care providers. Residential care facilities already using Telstra Health software will be able to access the Touchstone platform as an integrated add-on.
“We are looking forward to being part of Telstra Health’s connected care ecosystem and ensuring that Australians are receiving the right care, at the time they need it most,” said Dr Cooper.
Telstra Health chief health officer Dr Monica Trujillo said: “We are delighted to partner with Touchstone Life Care to support people facing end of life as well as those who support them such as their families, care providers, and clinical teams.”
Dr Cooper said the Touchstone platform will ensure providers are complying with new ACP regulations.
“With the strengthened Aged Care Act, new standards and an appointed regulator expected to be in place within 12 months, aged care providers will run the risk of being deregistered if they do not comply with standards for advance care planning.”
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