‘Start2Talk’ during National Palliative Care Week

The message coincides with National Palliative Care Week 2015 this week (24 – 30 May 2015).

The website, Start2Talk, is described by Carol Bennett, Alzheimer’s Australia chief executive, as a “good place to start planning ahead”.

“It has worksheets designed to spark practical conversations about this important topic. It also has comprehensive information relevant for all states and territories, as well as a section for health and community care professionals,” Ms Bennett says.

The information in the section targeted for health professionals focuses on advance care planning, rather than financial planning. It may be relevant for a range of staff working in the health and community care sectors including, among others, doctors, nurses, and dementia counselling and support workers.

The Start2Talk resource reveals advance care planning within a health or community care setting works best if it is approached in a systematic way across the organisation; it should not be seen as the responsibility of one or more groups of staff only.

The website reveals there needs to be a clear commitment to the process of advance care planning from senior management and roles should be built into routine patient management systems.

It is recommended that advance care planning is implemented in a planned and co-ordinated way at a service or department level in the first instance.

Watch the Alzheimer's Australia video below which explains why you should 'Start2Talk'.

Start2Talk was developed through Alzheimer’s Australia’s National Quality Dementia care Initiative and was created with the support of Palliative Care Australia, Consumers Health Forum, Carers Australia, COTA, National Seniors, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and other health and aged care organisations.

More than 10,000 people have visited Start2Talk since it was launched in March last year.

Starting to have conversations with clients and loved ones about their end of life care and wishes is vital, according to Ms Bennett.

“If something does happen to you, and you are unable to make financial or health decisions for yourself, those around you will know your wishes and be able to act on them for you,” she explains.

“We know these can be hard conversations to have. That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have them.”

This year’s National Palliative Care Week theme is: Dying to talk; talking about dying won’t kill you.

Access the health professionals section of the Alzheimer’s Australia Start2Talk website.