What it is: Case conferences are an opportunity to discuss the older person’s care needs. They ideally include the older person (if able to attend), their family and/or their substitute decision-maker, and members of the care team including the doctor.
Why it matters: A palliative care conference can:
- help the person and family members to understand the goals of care
- discuss options for future care
- share information
- help families to deal with distress
- plan responses to emergencies or crises.
What I need to know: Knowing who you can share information with is important.
Staff in residential aged care facilities and providers of home care often meet with families. This is to talk about routine care, or when the older person’s health status is changing, or death is expected within days.
You may be invited to attend a family conference. As you are likely to know the day-to-day care needs of the person, this can be very helpful.
Note
Family meetings are different to case conferences. Family meetings focus on the care goals of the person and their family.
Do
Look out for and report to nursing staff, any changes in a person’s:
- mood
- normal daily activity
- ability to swallow, move, or breathe.
Do
Report to nursing staff comments that the person may make about their health or future wishes.
Do
Support the person and family before and after a case conference and refer any concerns or questions to nursing/supervisory staff.