Ms Lindsey Moore
1Department For Health and Wellbeing, Australia
Biography:
Lindsey Moore is a dedicated Registered Nurse who began her career in the UK before relocating to Australia in 2007. In 2010, she joined the Metropolitan Referral Unit, focusing on hospital avoidance, integrative care, and system efficiency. Her expertise includes supporting End of Life choices and promoting compassionate, holistic care.
In October 2023, she transitioned to the role of Palliative Care Navigator with Palliative Care Connect. In this capacity, she guides patients, their families, and service providers through complex care pathways, ensuring they receive tailored support and access appropriate services.
Abstract:
Background:
Individuals with disability in supported accommodation are often transferred to hospital for end-of-life care due to escalating symptoms, resulting in death away from their communities. Minda, a major South Australian NDIS provider, launched the “A Respectful Death at Home” initiative to ensure residents could receive dignified terminal care in a place of their choosing.
Aims:
The initiative sought to establish a robust, collaborative pathway to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions or to facilitate discharge home for terminal care; and to ensure residents who remain in the facility can experience a peaceful death supported by palliative care services and carers who are empowered with to actively participate in and provide compassionate end-of-life care.
Methods:
Minda collaborated with Palliative Care Connect to assess their current palliative care practice, identify barriers, and devise effective solutions. This collaboration included providing essential staff education, pathway development and facilitating critical interagency meetings with key stakeholders.
Results:
Minda enhanced its capabilities by implementing a robust staff training program and adopting a delegation of care model. This model empowers Minda staff – with support and guidance from Palliative Care Connect, Minda’s clinical team, and in collaboration with specialist and generalist palliative care services – to better support palliative clients and to administer essential subcutaneous breakthrough medications during the terminal phase. Crucially, this collaborative effort has already facilitated the successful discharge of six Minda residents from hospital back to their homes for terminal care.
Conclusion:
The collaboration between Minda and Palliative Care Connect has proven that a supportive, and integrated care model can empower individuals with disabilities to exercise their right to a respectful death, at a place of their choosing. This success overcomes historical complexity and reliance on hospital admission and has potential for broader adoption across Australia.