Palliative Care Capability in Aged Care

This grant opportunity represents a long-standing commitment by the Australian Government to enhance palliative care services for aged care recipients by ensuring aged care providers and healthcare practitioners have access to expert advice on palliative care and advance care planning. The funding supports innovative services that strengthen collaboration between aged care, healthcare practitioners and specialist palliative care providers, improving the quality and coordination of care.

The objectives of the grant opportunity are to improve the quality, support and coordination of palliative care services for aged care recipients by:

• providing palliative care and advance care planning advice, support and training to aged care providers and healthcare practitioners, providing health care for aged care service recipients;
• improving linkages, support and the provision of care, between aged care services, primary care and palliative care services; and
• improving the palliative care skills and advance care planning expertise of aged care service staff and healthcare practitioners providing health care to aged care service recipients.

The intended outcomes of the grant opportunity are:

• the delivery of high-quality, safe and culturally appropriate palliative care tailored to individual needs;
• improved outcomes for aged care recipients and their families at the end of life;
• enhanced knowledge and skills in palliative care and advance care planning among aged care providers and healthcare practitioners;
• strengthened collaboration between aged, primary and palliative care services, to support knowledge sharing and integrated care;
• increased awareness of relevant resources, processes, legislation, and responsibilities related to palliative care and advance care planning across jurisdictions; and
• to embed quality palliative care within and across aged care settings.