Pharmacy Daily | What’s your pall care plan?

NATIONAL Palliative Care Week (NPCW) runs from 11 to 17 May, with this year's campaign asking Australians "What's your plan?".

Palliative Care Australia (PCA) noted that each day in Australia, 400 people of all ages die of life limiting or terminal illnesses, pointing out that all could benefit from end-of-life planning and palliative care.

"It's a direct approach to Australians and their loved ones to talk about what matters most at the end of life and to discuss plans that empower and respect choices during the last years, months, and days of life," said Camilla Rowland, CEO of PCA.

For health and care sectors, NPCW prompts reflection on capacity, innovation, and readiness to meet the increased demand for palliative and end of life care as our ageing population grows.

PCA suggested NPCW can prompt for governments to discuss policy, investment and strategy addressing future palliative care needs.

The Pharmaceutical Society of Australia (PSA) is part of a new consortium led by PCA on the quality use of palliative care medicines (PD 09 May).

Meanwhile, Dementia Australia launched a new course today on palliative care for health, aged and disability care workers.

The course has been added to the award-winning Ask Annie app which provides dementia training for care workers.

Dementia Australia CEO Professor Tanya Buchanan said the course is a "much-needed way of educating the dementia workforce on the importance of dignity for people living with dementia, aiming to maximise quality of life at all stages".

"Educating the health and aged care workforce about dementia and palliative care will make a critical contribution to improving access to timely and appropriate palliative care for people living with dementia," Prof Buchanan said.

See more about Ask Annie HERE. KB