Palliative Project Produces Award For BaptistCare Griffith

BaptistCare Griffith has received a Palliative Care Champion award from Clare Holland House in recognition of their commitment to supporting residents to live well and manage their end of life needs.

Dedicated to improving quality of life for residents, in mid-2017 the aged care centre joined innovative clinical research project, with a focus on specialist palliative care.

The study, called the INSPIRED trial, is a joint venture between the Australian Catholic University (ACU) and Calvary Public Hospital and aims to determine the effectiveness of a new approach of integrating specialist palliative care into aged care.

As a result of the participation in the project BaptistCare Griffith was awarded the palliative care champion award in December 2017.

“Staff provide an extraordinary level of care 24/7 and we are very proud of the excellent support that you give to your residents. Supporting people who are dying is very important work,” said Dr Kanathigoda, Medical Director at Clare Holland House.

Both residents and staff at BaptistCare Griffith are benefitting from the INPSIRED trial, which incorporates monthly ‘palliative care needs rounds’ with a visiting nurse practitioner. The care planning focuses on and anticipates the individual needs of residents with the goal of providing tailored care.

“Anticipatory planning is fundamental in creating a good end of life pathway for our residents receiving palliation. We work with the resident’s family, their doctor and with our visiting palliative care nurse practitioner to look ahead and plan care that recognises the physical, emotional and spiritual needs and wishes,” said Sharon Ley, Senior Care Team Manager at BaptistCare Griffith.

The shared emphasis on physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing for those receiving, planning for and delivering palliative care seeks to create a safe place where residents, their families and care staff can feel supported and valued.

“While the three year project is in its infancy, early indications show better clinical outcomes for participating aged care centres,” Ms Ley shared.

Fundamental to delivering individualised care is taking the time to know the residents, their needs, and their wishes.

Palliative care nurse practitioner, Nikki Johnston said, “It always astounds me how well staff at these facilities know the residents, their physical wellbeing, their interests and their family situation. It’s a testament to how much [they] care about their residents.”

The INSPIRED trial has been rolled out in eight aged care facilities across the ACT off the back of a smaller research pilot and will gather clinical data from participating centres over the three year period.

Liz Forbat, Professor of Palliative Care and research lead at the ACU shared, “In the pilot work, we were able to demonstrate that this approach enables staff to feel more confident in looking after people at end of life, and that residents were able to avoid lengthy hospitalisations. We expect this new study to show that residents are enjoying a better quality of life.”

When asked what a good end of life looks like for residents and their families, Sharon Ley was deeply thoughtful.

“A good passing is one in which the person receiving palliation is pain free, their family and loved ones can be with them and not feel distressed, and one that recognises quality of life until the end,” she shared.

BaptistCare Griffith is a new, innovative and modern aged care centre, built to cater for people with low care, high care and dementia care needs. The facility also offers extra services; a premium range of lifestyle choices that clients might expect to find in a hotel. Some of these extra services include an increased range of meal choices, superior accommodation and other premium personal services. 

Find out more about BaptistCare.