| Abstract: | Objectives: This study reports the results of a cross‐sectional study of residential aged care facilities in South Australia which sought to quantify the extent of specialist palliative care involvement in residential aged care facilities as well as identifying the current need for palliative care. Method: A questionnaire was completed by 51 Directors of Care from 51 of 90 facilities targeted, representing a response rate of 57% and representing 20% of the total number of South Australian licensed beds. Facilities responding were representative of residential aged care facilities in South Australia for location, type of funding and level of care. Results: Thirty facilities (59%) used specialist palliative care services during 2001 with the average number of residents consulted being four. There were 627 deaths recorded in the 2785 licensed beds, a death rate of 23%. The majority of these deaths were from non‐cancer diseases (83%) and up to two‐thirds of all deaths occurred away from low care facilities, usually in an acute care setting. Main reasons for transfer away from the facility were; an acute care episode requiring other expertise, rapid deterioration of the resident, care needs beyond the facility, or the general practitioner or family requested a transfer. Care Directors estimated that 7% of their current residents would be considered palliative and the majority of these had non‐cancer diseases (78%). Conclusion: These findings indicate that palliative care is an important aspect of care in residential aged care facilities for clients with a non‐cancer diagnosis. |
