Dr Jennifer Tieman
Flinders University
Co-designing ELDAC’s Allied Health Toolkit with Allied Health Professionals – Developing a Resource Guiding End of Life Care in RAC
Friday 14 October 2022
12:00pm – 12:30pm
Speaker Bio
Professor Jennifer Tieman is a Matthew Flinders Fellow and the inaugural Director of the Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying in the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University. She is CareSearch and palliAGED Director, Co-Lead of ELDAC, and Director of the Knowledge Hub in the new Aged Care Centre for Growth and Translational Research.
Abstract
In aged care settings, Allied Health professionals play an important role in supporting older Australians to live well until the end of their lives.
To provide quality care at the end of life, Allied Health professionals need to recognise signs of deterioration, to support the resident to manage change and understand how palliative care principles can support their provision of care. The End of Life Directions for Aged Care (ELDAC) project develops end of life care resources for the aged care worker in both residential and home care settings.
An ELDAC survey of Allied Health professionals showed that they made unique contributions in caring for older Australians. Survey results highlighted a need for information and guidance to further support the end of life practice of Allied Health professionals. 36% of survey respondents identified having limited understanding the scope of palliative care practice and 95% believe clinical practice guidelines are needed.
The survey found a need for a practice-focussed toolkit resource for Allied Health professionals. Development of the Toolkit is being guided by findings from a systematic review of the peer reviewed literature, a scoping review of the available evidence, an environmental scan of current tools, and the palliative care in aged care policies.
Development of the toolkit is being guided by expert representatives from the Allied Health aged care sector including peak organisations, health professionals and aged care services. Representatives are involved in user-centred approach through co-design ensuring content is current and relevant, information is structured for the audience, and undertaking formative evaluation to shape interface design is easily to use and provides a meaningful experience for users.
By working with Allied Health professionals in a comprehensive user-centred co-design approach, ELDAC’s Allied Health Toolkit will provide an evidence-based palliative and end of life care guidance that is shaped by the needs and experiences of Allied Health professionals within residential aged care settings.
Co-designing with Allied Health professionals to build ELDAC’s new end of life toolkit for use in RAC
