The new website offers key information and support for patients and health professionals wanting to learn more about palliative care.
The CareSearch Portal is a new interactive website that aims to help all Australians make informed palliative care decisions. The website, funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, is aimed at everyone: patients, carers, health professionals, and ordinary Australians, and their goal is to get people talking about death and dying and help make informed palliative care decisions.
“We will all need palliative care at one point, and many of us will also care for a loved one who is dying. The new CareSearch portal is designed to help all Australians to prepare for their palliative care journey with trustworthy information and resources,” says CareSearch Director Professor Jennifer Tieman.
The new online portal seeks to help individuals, families and communities to start the difficult conversation about dying and death, which is an important step towards planning and getting appropriate support.
The resources available in this new website aim to enable patients and carers to make informed decisions when facing the end of life, The website also provides practical information to plan for ageing and caring for older persons. In addition, the website includes a section to empower diverse and underserved Australian communities to get appropriate and quality palliative care and support.
“In addition, the portal supports GPs, specialists, nurses, nurse practitioners, and allied health professionals to provide quality care in any setting they may be – whether in hospitals, paediatrics, aged care, or home or community care. Further, it provides the evidence that supports best practice and improved care,” Prof Tieman says.
“Our hope is that with the new CareSearch Portal, more Australians will be empowered when the time that they need support comes and our health professionals are equipped to provide quality palliative care.”