Recognising the possibilities of technology and palliative care
An article written by Jennifer Tieman
The role of technology in aged care is growing. New technologies are being developed and taken up by aged cares services. Older Australians are increasingly using digital technologies in their personal lives. The potential contribution of technology in contributing to solutions to aged care pressures has been highlighted in a number of reports such as the Aged Care Industry Information Technology Council Technology Roadmap for the Aged Care Industry, the final report of the Royal Commission into Aged care Quality and Safety; and RMIT’s Transforming Aged Care report.
Anticipated benefits include releasing time for direct care and engagement with residents and clients, support for business process such as financial and staff management and care documentation, data collection and analysis for services and funders, smart home technologies to enable continued living at home, and social connectivity for residents and clients. The ARIIA (Aged Care Research & Industry Innovation Australia) Knowledge and Implementation Hub team have produced summaries one Types of Technology in Aged Care which describe existing resources and future technology opportunities.
There is a need for palliative care and aged care to understand the role and value of technology in providing care at the end of life. The health and social care workforce are already exposed to a wide range of digital resources such as online learning, clinical management systems, phone and video conferencing. Innovative technologies continue to develop and can quickly become a normal part of our everyday lives. Once smartphones and fitness trackers were seen as cutting-edge technologies and now we all carry our phones in our bags or pockets. Many of the technology and digital approaches are already being taken up to support care at the end of life.
palliAGED and CareSearch are already involved in technology given our digital role. We use technology to facilitate access to the evidence that underpins care in palliative care and aged care through our websites. But beyond the websites, we use technology to streamline our knowledge and business processes, we make use of digital platforms to share our content, and we use technology to create products that support individual practice and service activities. Some are familiar such as the palliAGED GP and nurse apps. Others are more technical such as the Grey Literature database of the palliAGED search filter. Some facilitate knowledge movement by enabling learning packages to be transported to an aged care service’s learning management system.
The new InFocus on Technology in Aged Care reminds us of all the technology resources that have been developed by palliAGED, CareSearch and our Project Partners. By making use of technology, we are helping the sector to become more familiar with digital products and technology innovations with meaningful tools. The key to success in technology transforming aged care is ensuring that the technology and its applications adds real value to the sector and real outcomes for residents and clients. The potential contribution that technology and digital resources can make to people with palliative care needs and the care for older people coming to the end of their lives should not be forgotten.
Professor Jennifer Tieman
Director, Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death and Dying, and CareSearch Director
College of Nursing and Health Sciences, Flinders University