Palliative Care Australia
OLDER Australians with serious and life-limiting illnesses could be missing out on crucial support because palliative care needs are not specifically identified during aged care assessments, according to Palliative Care Australia.
The peak body has called for changes to the aged care assessment system, warning people can deteriorate rapidly while waiting for support or be approved for a level of care that does not reflect their needs.
The concerns follow ABC Four Corners’ The Waiting Game investigation, which put the Integrated Assessment Tool (IAT) – used to assess older Australians seeking government-funded aged care – under scrutiny.
Palliative Care Australia (PCA) CEO Chris Hatherly said any system determining access to aged care needed to build a comprehensive picture of each person’s circumstances.
“Whether a decision is informed by an assessment tool, clinical judgement or eligibility criteria, the test should be the same: does it identify what this person needs and help them get the right care at the right time?” Dr Hatherly said.
He said people living with serious and life-limiting illnesses could have complex needs that changed quickly as their condition progressed.
“Failing to understand this complexity or the trajectory of change during an assessment can mean people aren’t receiving the support they need, or in some cases that they’re approved for the wrong type or level of support,” he said.
Dr Hatherly warned inadequate support could result in worsening symptoms, increased pressure on families and carers and people losing the opportunity to remain at home.
It could also result in potentially avoidable and more costly hospital admissions.
PCA National Policy Director Josh Fear said a major concern was that the Integrated Assessment Tool did not specifically assess a person’s palliative care needs.
“The Integrated Assessment Tool is designed to identify what support an older person needs, yet it does not specifically assess their palliative care needs,” Mr Fear said.
