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Palliative care in residential aged care: An overview
Author(s) -
Butler Juliet
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
australasian journal on ageing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.63
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1741-6612
pISSN - 1440-6381
DOI - 10.1111/ajag.12480
Subject(s) - aged care , palliative care , residential care , medicine , gerontology , nursing , psychology
Objective To measure how care needs, health and length of stay in permanent residential aged care differs by assessed need for palliative care. Methods On entry into permanent residential aged care, people's care needs and health conditions are assessed on the Aged Care Funding Instrument. Data for the period 2008–2009 and 2015–2016 were analysed for trends in care needs, health conditions, length of stay and separation reason across assessed need for palliative care. Results Assessed care needs have increased for all people in residential aged care over this period, and people appraised for palliative care were more likely to be rated ‘high’ in need for support in activities of daily living. People appraised for palliative care had a higher prevalence of cancer and shorter length of stays. Conclusion Palliative care appraisal is associated with increased complexity in assessed care needs, different profiles of health and shorter length of stays in permanent residential aged care.