National Symposium brings advance care planning to the fore

This Friday will see health and aged care service leaders, policy makers, peak bodies, consumer groups, academics, and professionals from around Australia converge on Adelaide for Advance Care Planning Australia’s National Symposium.

The event, to be held at the Adelaide Town Hall, tackles some of the biggest topics in advance care planning. 

It will challenge the typical view of capacity in older people with dementia, question how service providers and staff can improve their advance care planning practice and bring older people to the forefront of the conversation. 

Dr Greg Parker, Advance Care Planning Australia Director and Palliative Care Doctor, said the time is right to revisit how advance care planning is approached in modern Australia.

“The introduction of a new Aged Care Act and new Aged Care Strengthened Quality Standards in 2025 reinforce the need for a central focus on the older person’s right to autonomy, and to a central and active role in decisions about their care,” he said.

“Advance care planning is central to person-led care and ensuring a person’s wishes and preferences are considered in care decisions when they are not able to speak for themselves.

“The rights-based approach of the new Act reinforces older persons’ choices and entitlements, including respecting their wishes and preferences for future health care.”

Dr Parker will present the National Symposium’s opening address, and throughout the day he will be joined by the likes of Kate Swaffer, Dementia Alliance International Co-Founder; Matt Kowald, Barossa Village General Manager; Paul Hansen, Aged Care Program – Australian Digital Health Agency Director; and Distinguished Professor Patsy Yates AM, Executive Dean, Faculty of Health, QUT, ELDAC. 

Professor Jennifer Tieman, who is involved with the End of Life Directions For Aged Care Project (ELDAC) and palliAGED, will also be part of the panel tackling practical topics such as better supporting aged care services and aged care staff to improve their advance care planning practice. 

“We know advance care planning is linked to improved end-of-life outcomes for residents, their family and loved ones and the staff and organisations providing care,” Professor Tieman said.

“But aged care providers face challenges in implementing good practice in relation to advance care planning, such as staff skills, knowledge, and importantly, time, to have these sensitive conversations with older people in their care.

“There are resources and processes available that aged care providers can use to overcome these challenges and support older people to have the opportunity to explore and document their wishes and preferences for future care, and ensure these are shared if and when needed to support care decisions,” she added. 

Education and increased awareness of advance care planning is viewed as an essential step forward for the aged and healthcare sectors as it can help ensure care recipients receive the best possible care that is also aligned with their wishes and needs. 

Tickets to the one-day event are still available. Click here to register now.