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Palliative approach
A palliative approach aims to improve the quality of life for people with a progressive life limiting illness and their families. It aims to reduce their suffering through early identification, assessment and holistic treatment of pain, physical, psychological, social, cultural, and spiritual needs.A palliative approach is not delayed until the end stages of an illness or the ageing process. Instead, a palliative approach provides a focus on active comfort care and a positive approach to reducing an individual’s symptoms and distress, which facilitates residents’ and their families’ understanding that they are being actively supported through this process. Underlying the philosophy of a palliative approach is a positive and open attitude towards death and dying.
Palliative care
Palliative care is care provided for people of all ages who have a life limiting illness, with little or no prospect of cure, and for whom the primary treatment goal is quality of life. Palliative care uses a holistic approach – managing pain and other symptoms, whilst also addressing the physical, emotional, cultural, social and spiritual needs of the person, their family and their carers. It focuses on 'living' well until death.Read more: About Palliative care
Palliative care equipment
Palliative care equipment can be loaned to families and carers for people who wish to die at home (including residential aged care facilities). Equipment may include electronic beds, pressure care mattresses, wheelchairs and hoists. Access to this equipment is making a real difference to the quality of life and independence of those being cared for at home.For more information about how the equipment can be accessed contact Palliative Care Australia on (02) 6232 4433 or their member associations in each state and territory.
Parkinson’s disease
Parkinson's disease is a chronic, progressive disorder of the central nervous system which affects the control or direction of normal movement.Part pensioner
A part pensioner is a person who receives less than the maximum amount of an Australian Government means tested pension.Read more: About part-pensioners
Particular needs conditions
Particular needs conditions are specific physical and mental illnesses where the government provides additional care programs and services. These include dementia, mental health, chronic diseases, falls, hearing, sight, bladder and bowel problems and terminal illness.Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care
The Partners in Culturally Appropriate Care (PICAC) Program enables aged care homes and ethnic communities to work together to establish and maintain links between residents of aged care homes and their social, cultural and linguistic networks. There is a co-ordinator for this program in each state or territory.Pensioner Concession Card
A Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) is automatically issued by Centrelink to all Social Security and Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) service pensioners or war widows receiving an income support supplement. Low income earners receiving selected payments may be entitled to a PCC. The Pensioner Concession Card entitles the holder to reduced cost medicines and a range of concessions.Personal and medical alarms
There are several commercial monitoring devices that work through an attachment to the home telephone and a button worn by the subscriber. These provide an immediate response to an alarm call. The operator will follow up to make sure things are OK if the system is not tested on a regular basis and they have not been advised that the subscriber will not be home. There is a charge for these services, but some DVA pensioners can access them free.Read more: About personal and medical alarms
Physiotherapy
Physiotherapy is a health profession with recognised expertise in treating conditions or injuries that affect physical function, to help you gain as much movement and physical independence as possible. Based on research evidence that demonstrates how and why physiotherapy works, physiotherapists use a range of drug-free techniques to relieve pain, restore function and movement, and prevent further problems.Read more: About physiotherapy
Podiatry
Podiatry is the profession that deals with conditions affecting the human foot. Podiatrists diagnose and treat a wide range of foot conditions.Read more: Podiatry
Podiatry Association Council
The Australian Podiatry Association is the only professional representative organisation and more than 80% of practising podiatrists are members. The national professional body is the Australasian Podiatry Council, with which the State Associations and Podiatry New Zealand are affiliated.Power of attorney
A power of attorney is a document that gives a person nominated by you the power to act on your behalf. It allows the attorney to sign or do anything that you yourself can legally do, subject to any conditions or limitations stated in the document.Read more: Power of attorney
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Pre entry leave
Up to seven days of social leave may be used as 'pre entry leave' immediately before a person moves permanently into an aged care home. This allows residents time to get their affairs in order prior to entering the home.Private sector
Organisations that conduct their activities primarily for the financial profit or gain of their owners, members or shareholders.Protected home
When assets are assessed for aged care purposes, a home owned by a person moving into an aged care home is not included as an asset in certain circumstances. If the home is not included as an asset, it is called 'protected'.Read more: About assets assessments
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