Palliative Care Australia CEO Rohan Greenland says the organisation welcomes the inclusion of a new chapter on pain at the end of life in the 2nd edition of the Pain in Residential Aged Care Facilities: Management Strategies launched today by the Australian Pain Society.

“60,000 Australians die in residential aged care facilities each year. This updated publication will help staff know how to recognise and manage the pain of residents so they can have the best quality of life, right to the end of life.

“To ensure resident’s pain is managed within residential aged care is paramount, and of particular importance towards the end of life.

“A good first step would be to address the omission of palliative care within the Aged Care Quality Standards. This is something we will be raising with the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety, noting the terms of reference for this important inquiry also do not include palliative care.

“There must be investment in new collaborative models of care between palliative care and aged care, including the use of telehealth, nurse practitioner-led models, education, training and peer-support for aged care staff, and engagement of general practitioners outside of fee-for-service to assist in managing pain.

“We also need to ensure that residential aged care facilities can access and stock medications such as opioids and other schedule 8 items that may be required at the end of life and ensure that appropriately trained staff are available 24/7 to administer them as required.

“This updated resource is a valuable tool and we hope that it is not only made available within all residential aged care facilities in Australia, but also considered within policy and procedure reviews and staff training,” said Mr Greenland.

Palliative Care Australia welcomes updated pain management resource for residential aged care