News

CareSearch director was invited to Ageing Asia conference in Singapore. In this blog, Jen reflects on her time in Singapore. She had the privilege to meet a range of people working in aged care and palliative care, and had many opportunities to share the work we do in CareSearch, palliAGED and our project partners. 

Palliative care plays a crucial role in improving the quality of life and the dying experience, yet access to these services remains unequal, especially in regional areas. Suzanne Sara and Felicity Burns, The Dementia Centre, HammondCare, discuss the Last Days program. This program aims to bridge the gap in knowledge and resources by providing families and caregivers with education to assist in navigating end-of-life care with confidence and compassion.

Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a promising non-pharmacological therapy in palliative care, offering potential benefits for symptom management and overall well-being. In this blog, a group of researchers explore the potential of personalised VR therapy to improve emotional and physical symptoms in palliative care patients.

Challenges in accessing palliative care are most profound in rural areas due to workforce constraints, service structures, and lack of viable alternatives. A/Prof Rebecca Disler discusses findings of her research into the gaps of palliative care delivery for people with end-stage chronic disease in 42 regional and rural Australian communities and suggests solutions to improve access to patients living in these underserviced areas.

Dementia is a life-limiting condition, yet the palliative care needs of people with dementia often go unrecognised and unassessed. Wendy Hall explains the role of the Dementia Doula, a model of care that ensures people with dementia and their families receive high-quality, responsive, and person-centred palliative care in community and aged care settings.