How we build staff capability for quality palliative care in aged care

An article written by Grace Wenyi Jiang, Clinical Manager and Radhika Singh, Residence Manager, Arcare Springwood

In our facility, delivering top-notch palliative care in aged care is at the heart of what we do. But providing great care doesn’t just happen – it takes the right approach, training, and tools to ensure everyone involved, from the staff to the residents and their families, feels supported. That’s where PACOP and our "Train the Trainer" program come in, helping to boost our team's knowledge and confidence when it comes to delivering person-centered palliative care.

Spotting when someone needs palliative care

The first step in providing the best palliative care is recognising when someone needs it. We’ve got a fantastic tool called Palliative Aged Care Outcomes Program (PACOP) that helps us do just that. PACOP gives us the framework to assess and respond to any changes in a resident’s health, making sure we’re on top of their needs, whether they are physical, emotional, or spiritual. We use this to spot problems early, so we can intervene at the right time and keep our residents as comfortable as possible.

Continuing the conversation around end-of-life care

One thing we always keep in mind is that conversations about end-of-life care shouldn’t be a one-off discussion – they need to happen continuously. PACOP helps us ensure these conversations keep happening, not just with the residents but with their families, carers, and decision-makers. By reviewing things like advance care plans regularly, we make sure everyone’s on the same page and the care we provide truly matches the resident’s wishes as their needs evolve​.

Training the team with 'Train the Trainer' and a Palliative Care Champion

To ensure all our staff are equipped with the knowledge and skills to deliver the best palliative care, we have a Palliative Care Champion. With the support from the Residence Manager, this role is filled by one experienced registered nurse who becomes an expert in PACOP and palliative care practices. The Palliative Care Champion is responsible for training new and existing staff and keeping the team up to date with the latest best practices.

The Palliative Care Champion leads small group training sessions to make learning more interactive and focused. These small group settings allow staff to engage in more personalised discussions, ask questions, and gain deeper insights into palliative care concepts. It also helps foster stronger connections among staff members, encouraging team-based learning and collaborative problem-solving.

What makes this role even more effective is the close collaboration between the Palliative Care Champion and the Clinical Manager. The Clinical Manager plays a key role in supporting the Palliative Care Champion by ensuring that palliative care is prioritised, and that staff receive ongoing, relevant training. This collaboration ensures that the care we provide is consistently aligned with best practices and meets the specific needs of our residents.

To further support this ongoing training, our Palliative Care Champion can access the palliAGED website, a fantastic resource for up-to-date materials and training modules. This platform allows the Palliative Care Champion to access the latest tools and incorporate them into the training, ensuring that all staff are equipped with the best resources available.

With continuous training and support from the Palliative Care Champion working closely with the Clinical Manager, our team is always learning and improving in how we care for residents at the end of their lives. This commitment to ongoing education helps us offer compassionate, professional, and person-centred care that aligns with the individual needs and preferences of our residents.

In the end, it’s all about making sure our staff are well-equipped to provide the best care possible. PACOP, our "Train the Trainer" program, and the collaboration between the Palliative Care Champion and Clinical Manager, supported by tools like PACOP and the palliAGED website, are key in building the capability to deliver high-quality palliative care and ensuring our residents receive the dignity and comfort they deserve as they approach the end of life.

Authors

Grace Wenyi Jiang

Clinical Manager

Arcare Springwood

Radhika Singh

Residence Manager

Arcare Springwood