End of life project launched Caroline Chisholm is one of five homes chosen to roll-out a prestigious End of Life project.
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ontinuous improvement in the delivery of care services is a driving motivation for Caroline Chisholm’s Director of Nursing, Anne Curnow. “I was recently advised that Caroline Chisholm was one of only five residential aged care homes on Sydney’s North Shore to be chosen to participate in HammondCare’s ‘Quality End of Life in Residential Aged Care Project’,” said Anne. “I believe it’s a great acknowledgment of the reputation and status the home enjoys in the local health area.” The Palliative Care Outcomes Collaboration (PCOC) is an Australian Government-funded outcome and benchmarking program. The primary objective is to systematically improve palliative and end of life care (EoLC) through routine assessment of patient needs and collection of data to evaluate access to care based on assessed needs. HammondCare has been commissioned by Sydney North Primary Health Network to deliver quality EoLC initiatives in residential aged care homes. This will result in the provision of expert advice, effective training and fostering partnerships between aged care and general practice to deliver better outcomes for patients through quality end of life care.
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The project aims to upskill staff to ensure that the patient’s physical, emotional, spiritual and cultural needs are met, that pain is managed appropriately, and that dignity and privacy is respected. The project is based on Australian Palliative Care Standards, ELDAC Model of Care and Aged Care Quality Standards. “An active, engaged and happy life is the priority for our residents at Caroline Chisholm,” says Anne. “Having a kind, compassionate and educated EoLC program ensures that our residents are given choices and options that mean the most to them.”
The project has been rolling out as COVID-19 safe, via Zoom meetings and education sessions that bring impressive collaborators and educators directly into the home. “Our last Zoom session brought collaborators from all over the world, including Japan and London, as well as Queensland and New South Wales participants,” said Anne. “It’s great to be able to cast the communication net so wide to include these quality educators based around the globe.” To find out more about the project, contact Anne Curnow on (02) 9428 2466.
