In this assessment task you are required to write an analytical report that: – explains palliative care provision in residential aged care – critically discusses advanced care directives in...

Running Head: PALLIATIVE CARE PROVISION IN RESIDENTIAL AGED CARE    1
PALLIATIVE CARE PROVISION IN RESIDENTIAL AGED CARE    2
PALLIATIVE CARE PROVISION IN RESIDENTIAL AGED CARE
Table of Contents
Introduction    3
Evaluation of Palliative Care in Residential Aged Care    3
Critical Discussion of Advanced Care Directives (ACDs) in Residential Aged Care    4
Legal Issues Associated with Advanced Care Directives in Residential Aged Care    6
Ethical Issues Associated with Advanced Care Directives in Residential Aged Care    7
Provision to Improve the Palliative Care in Residential Aged Care    9
Summary    11
References    12
    
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Introduction
A non-curable chronic or life threatening disease cannot be diagnosed with medicines but the individual suffering can be provided with the moral, mental as well as physical support during the course of life they are left with. Palliative care is one such specialised medical care that can help individuals living with a life threatening illness (Palliative Care Australia, 2018). Major goal behind this care is to improve the quality of life patient is left with by focusing more towards the relief from the symptoms and the stress emerging due to possession of a serious illness. It can also be presented, as an extra layer of support that is being provided by a special team of doctors along with the other doctors of the patient.
Evaluation of Palliative Care in Residential Aged Care
Australia has provided many aged care services that are not only affordable but also are subsidised in order to keep the costs manageable. Residential aged care are one of them, which is a provision provided by the Australian government for the old age people who can no longer stay at their home. Not only it is residential aged care but also there are numerous services that are being provided by the government such as domestic assistance, home nursing, personal nutrition, respite services and ‘palliative care’.
As mentioned by Butler (2017), palliative care provides the best possible quality of life when someone and especially an old age individual is suffering from an illness that is likely to cause death within foreseeable future. Old age
ings along many difficulties for the individual not only physically but also mentally and it also effects the family members too. Further, having a disease, due to which a person is susceptible to die within a stipulated amount of time, can make living much difficult. Palliative care is appropriate at any age, during any period of time and also at during any stage of illness since, it focuses towards making the rest of life easier and happy for the individual along with the best possible curative treatments.
The major focus and principle that defines palliative health care is to improve the quality of life and this is done by evaluating what matters the most to an individual who is at their last stage of life and what will be the best route in order to meet the social, economic, physical, cultural, spiritual and emotional demands of the person. Victoria’s hub for health services and business defines the design and structural component that an ideal residential aged palliative care should possess (Health Vic, 2018). Broad et al. (2015) also mentioned that despite a hospital could also provide all the necessary medications and heath related support but it cannot provide the emotional, mental, cultural and spiritual support that old age people needs especially during the last phase of their life.
Communication and especially an open and honest communication can provide relief to the mental pressure that an individual may suffer from while suffering from a chronic disease and ‘Palliative care Victoria’ focuses majorly towards this factor, which is saying the things that matter and support from emotion (Palliative Care Victoria, 2019). Further, they also mentioned that fears and concerns about the illness could make an individual lose a little hope that they may be left with and therefore talking with a counsellor and other individuals of the similar age group may help a lot.
Along with the mental and emotional support, medical and physical support is also provided to the old age individuals in every possible way, which may include help in terms of fatigue, difficulty in eating, loss of appetite, dementia, pain relief and constipation. Further, every other amenity such as bathrooms, hygienic environment and personally customised nutritional meals are also provided to every individual.
Critical Discussion of Advanced Care Directives (ACDs) in Residential Aged Care
Every individual suffering from a chronic disease may have some long or short-term goals, needs and wants, which they want to fulfil before they may die and also most of individuals have special preferences towards their end-of-life care. Rainsford, Phillips, Glasgow, MacLeod and Wiles (2018) mentioned in their study that 32% of individuals in Australia die at residential aged care facilities (RACFs) and therefore this requires an ‘Advanced care directive’ from the residential aged cares in order to plan and facilitate the end of life planning for every individual based upon their personal choices and preferences.
Advanced care planning is a
oader concept that allows a person to plan for the future health and personal care needs in case they become unable to communicate or make their own decisions. Advance Care Directives (ACDs) allows an individual to make their future decisions based upon their individual values and beliefs that may result into a written advance care plan. It can also be viewed as a legally binding written document written and signed by a competent adult and recognised by the law authorities.
Therefore, these recognised ACDs then define the future actions to be taken considering every individual, which may be clinical trials, treatments or any other resuscitation plans. The code for ethical practice for Advance Care Directives (ACDs) directs how the ACDs should be made and all the required legal practices to be kept in mind. Further, it also states that adults are presumed competent and they are entitled to make their own decisions regarding the quality and quantity of their future life and hence, their decisions should also be based upon them without any external pressure or influence from a third element.
ACDs can be of many types containing records of a person’s values, life goals and prefe
ed outcomes or directions about the required care and appointments or appointment of a substitute decision make (SDM). There have been legislations enacted in order to keep a check wherever the common law polices are being...