Palliative Care and COVID-19

COVID-19 is a member of the Coronavirus (CoV) family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases, it is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans.

COVID-19 has been identified as a key issue for health and aged care. The Australian Government has adopted a whole of government emergency response which provides a framework for preparing for, responding to and managing COVID-19 in Australia. Importantly:

Most people with COVID-19 infection experience mild illness and recover, but for some people it is more severe and may require medical attention and could result in death. For those with moderate or severe disease, the National COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce has developed living guidelines to support clinical care in Australia.
The impact of COVID-19 infection is greater for older people and people with pre-existing conditions.

This means that palliative care services are likely to experience increased demand and services may need to be provided in the home, including aged care facilities and private homes. In the event of limited service and staff availability, inexperienced people may be asked to support others with palliative care needs. Access to information for people in this role will be important to ensure appropriate care is provided and that carers are adequately supported.

In response Palliative Care Australia has formed the Australian COVID-19 Palliative Care Working Group (ACPCWG) in partnership with the Australian and New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine (ANZSPM), Palliative Care Nurses Australia (PCNA), Australasian Chapter of Palliative Medicine (AChPM) of the Royal College of Physicians (RACP), End of Life Directions for Aged Care (ELDAC), Paediatric Palliative Care Australia and New Zealand (PAPCANZ), CareSearch and caring@home.

For trustworthy information on palliative care and COVID-19 for aged care providers

The following resources have been selected to help the aged care sector find useful information on providing palliative care and care at the end of life in the COVID-19 context:

Residential Aged Care

For Training related to COVID-19

Visit the palliAGED Training and Education section to access eLearning options available to assist with preparation and planning.

COVID-19 Online Learning

Additional information:

For resources highlighted by palliAGED visit the newsroom.
For resources for health professionals across different populations and care settings visit CareSearch.
For general information on COVID-19 please see the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care website or visit the websites linked to at the bottom of each page.
To find out about local restictions put in place as part of the response to COVID-19 visit the Health Direct Restriction Checker.
Integrating palliative care and symptom relief into responses to humanitarian emergencies and crises: a WHO guide.

Disclaimer

This information is presented for the purpose of making health information swiftly available to the Australian healthcare community. It is not a substitute for independent professional advice and clinicians should use their own judgment when making use of the available material linked to from this site.

Page updated 25 July 2022