Amin Bahrami
1Department For Health and Wellbeing, Adelaide, Australia
Biography:
Amin Bahrani earned his PhD in Health Services Management from Iran University of Medical Sciences and has completed several professional fellowships, including Educational Scholarship and Leadership (2021), Medical Education (2020), and E-Learning (2019). Since 2007, he has held academic and administrative positions at Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences (2010–2018) and Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (2018–2024). In 2024, he relocated to Adelaide, South Australia, and joined the End-of-Life Care team at SA Health.
Abstract:
Background:
This study analyses self-reported needs and services provided to patients with dementia and their carers who accessed Palliative Care Connect (PCC).
Methods:
Data from 98 patients were analysed. Reasons for contacting PCC, main supports provided, and navigation outcomes achieved, as reported by the PCC Navigators, were analysed.
Results:
The median age was 84 years (range 61–99), with no significant age difference between genders. The majority of patients were living with family (38.8%), in residential aged care facilities (34.7%), or alone (6.1%). 73.5% of episodes of care were initiated by a family member (many calling to discuss a loved one in residential aged care), while 8.1% were initiated by the patients themselves.
Upon service contact, 48% of patients were in the stable phase, followed by deteriorating (29.6%) and unstable (14.9%) phases, indicating people are contacting PCC earlier in their palliative care journey and not in crisis. Case priority was rated as medium for 55.2% of patients, low for 30.6%, and high for 9.1%. Also, 14.3% of patients needed urgent navigation supports while 33.0% were assessed as capable of self-management.
The most frequent reasons for contacting PCC included access to palliative care services, navigating the healthcare system, end-of-life planning, and psychosocial/emotional support. PCC provided 2.75 ± 1.75 supports per episode of care, mostly general navigation, healthcare system navigation, and carer support and respite. PCC outcomes included patient empowerment and informed decision-making, improved care coordination, enhanced access to supports, and timely access to services.
People supported by PCC on dementia-related matters reported improved understanding of palliative care and how to access supports, and high rates of satisfaction with the service.
Conclusion:
Palliative care navigation can support people with dementia, and those caring for them. Dementia can be overlooked as a life-limiting illness, reinforcing the need for consumer-facing services like PCC.