Palliative care delivery in residential aged care: Bereaved family member experiences of the Supportive Hospice Aged Residential Exchange (SHARE) intervention

Abstract

BackgroundThe supportive hospice aged residential Exchange (SHARE) is a new model of palliative care education that has been designed for residential aged care. The goal of SHARE is to help clinical staff improve palliative care within residential aged care facilities and to improve specialist palliative care nurses' knowledge and skill to care for frail older people.MethodThe experiences of 16 bereaved families concerning the palliative care journey (both at the start and finish of a one-year implementation of SHARE) were explored using semi-structured interviews.ResultsFour themes were important to bereaved families’ experience: communication with staff, relationship with general practitioners, systems of care, and hospice involvement. A sub-theme indicating changes in these four components of care between the start and finish of SHARE was identified. A fifth theme highlighted challenges (staff shortages and turnover).ConclusionFindings indicated that SHARE benefited families (improved communication and support) through the end of life journey of their relatives, but challenges remained.