Palliative Care NSW is hosting its biennial State Conference this year in Kiama from 8–10 November. The Scientific Committee warmly invites everyone who either works in or has an interest in palliative care to submit an abstract for consideration.
The theme ‘Riding the Waves of Change’ plays on the iconic coastal scenery and rolling waves of Kiama, encouraging delegates to pause and consider how palliative and end-of-life care has been provided in the past, what challenges us now, and how we can prepare to embrace opportunities in the future.
Palliative care waves have taken many forms: From the early days of legitimising basic pain management for dying patients, to the holistic approaches of today; or the resurgence of ‘normalising death’ and making death ‘everybody’s business’, with the uptake of Advance Care Directives, Last Days of Life tools, contemporary literature, and communities initiating home hospices and death and dying awareness. We are now entering the next wave of contemporary issues including the use of cannabis as a medication, new models of care, and whether palliative care really is enough for people who are dying. Are we prepared to ride these waves?
Abstracts are invited to challenge delegates to recognise how we can respond to the waves of change, while being nurtured in the sun, sand and beautiful scenery of the fabulous south coast. The conference seeks contributions that explore, inform or challenge around four themes:
- Changing role of clinicians (eg generalist care at end-of-life; prescribing by nurses; medication vs psychosocial symptom management; role of allied health)
- Changing role of partnerships (eg shared care arrangements; role of Ambulance; NDIS/My Aged Care; residential aged care; research; policy development and legislation; volunteers)
- Changing role of technology (eg assistive technology in the home or the ward; telehealth)
- Changing way of dying (eg recognising dying; non-malignant care; institutional or homeless dying; cultural considerations; voluntary assisted dying; support in bereavement)
Abstract submission closes 5pm, 21 May, 2018.
For more information on abstract requirements and submission, click here.
For more information about the conference, and to sign up for email updates, click here.