Placing physios at the forefront through voice and knowledge

Pauline Cerdor touches on the role of physiotherapy in palliative care over the years, highlighting the development of advocacy and research to inform clinical practice.

The National Palliative Care Strategy 2018 highlights the importance of evidence and a person-centred approach as essential ingredients of quality palliative care. A guiding principle of the national strategy is that people receiving and providing palliative care have access to trustworthy resources to help them make informed decisions about care.

PHYSIOTHERAPY EVIDENCE DATABASE A review found that exercise prevents falls in older people living in the community.

Having access to, and understanding, the right information and evidence can help physiotherapists inform their practice and support their clients, writes Susan Gravier.

Palliative care provides a support system for people living with a life-limiting condition to live as actively as possible for as long as possible. It is active and supportive care that seeks to maximise quality of life.

Juliana Oliveira discusses the randomised trial, which highlighted that combined physical activity and fall prevention intervention improved mobility-related goal attainment but not physical activity in older adults.

How common is poor mobility in people over 60 years of age?

Physiotherapist Susan Gravier discusses the important role of physiotherapists in palliative care. Susan is a researcher at CareSearch which presents online evidence-based information and resources for palliative care tailored for health professionals, the aged care sector, and patients, carers and families.

In 2016, there were approximately 22 000 hip fractures in Australia with a combined direct and indirect cost of $908 million. Projected figures for Australia have this number rising to 30 000 by 2022 and costing just over $1 billion.

Physiotherapy is an essential component of high-value, quality and safe care in residential aged care facilities. Those of us fortunate enough to be able to work across our complete breadth of practice, or if not at least more broadly than the current residential aged care funding model supports, will see the positive difference and meaningful experiences that quality physiotherapy contributes every day.

‘National lifetime achievement award winner’ can now be added to APA member Jennie Hewitt’s list of achievements. Jennie was acknowledged on 5 September for her services to aged care in Sydney as part of the 2018 Aged and Community Services Australia (ACSA) aged care awards.

As Victorians face another lockdown in June this year, Jacqui Kay, Jessica Huglin and Taree Gibson share their insights and discuss how working on the frontline affects the practitioner and the person.