Speak Out April 2016

In Focus - Aged care

Helen Leousis I have worked for over 15 years in a variety of settings, predominantly hospital based. My experience varies from acute to subacute care in geriatric evaluation management, transitional care programs, psychogeriatric wards, community rehabilitation in the home, and residential aged care. I have a keen interest in aged care and improving quality of care for older adults. I currently work as a senior speech pathologist at St Vincent’s hospital Melbourne, where there is a strong focus on providing dignified aged care and the best palliative care. I encourage speech pathologists and students interested in aged care to advocate for your clients’ needs and ensure your care is always patient centred. Most importantly we need to work collaboratively to think about inventive ways to provide increased speech pathology services to older adults. Chyrisse Heine I have been involved with older adults for 15 years now–in both a research and clinical capacity. As a PhD student, I was interested in the communication difficulties experienced by older adults with Dual Sensory Loss (vision and hearing loss). I am currently a spoke leader and co-ordinator of the Healthy Ageing Research Group at La Trobe University. I also work clinically with older adults with hearing loss and/ or processing difficulties and am a Director of Speech Pathology Australia. I hope the Aged Care Working Party is able to influence the aged care workforce to understand the role of speech pathology and refer for services appropriately. If I had a magic wand, I would like to see early identification and intervention for older people to ameliorate effects of communication and swallowing disorders. I encourage speech pathologists working in aged care to share knowledge and concerns – we are all on the same side! Danica Dalton I have worked within the aged care setting for approximately four years in hospital and community settings. I currently work in community health, at Merri Health in Melbourne’s North. I work with people in their homes to optimise independence and provide support and access to services as appropriate. My current role has a wide scope of practice and works closely with other organisations to facilitate wellbeing and positive quality of life for older people living at home. I joined the Aged Care Working Party as I believe that speech pathologists have a big role to play in helping older Australians to live well and actively at home for as long as possible with appropriate supports. We need to be advocating not only for our profession but for all of those clients that can’t access speech pathology services appropriately. Into the future, I hope to see more speech pathologists working with the ageing population in more than just swallowing. Wendy Pearse My strong interest in working with the aged care population has grown from my work experience in the acute care and rehabilitation setting. I have developed a special interest in dysphagia management and end of life care planning for people with chronic dysphagia and those who may be entering a palliative phase of their management. I am currently working in an end of life project officer role and am a member of the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service End of Life Care Committee and Working Group. Into the future I hope to see the scope of practice for speech pathologists extended to include Advance Care Planning and other roles in end of life care and improved coordination of patient care across the acute, primary health, and residential aged care sector. I look forward to working with the Aged Care Working Party to address issues such as capacity assessment, exploring the wishes of patients and their carers, legal requirements, and dysphagia management in the end of life care space. I would encourage speech pathologists to pursue further training in advance care planning. Aged Care Working Party

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Speak Out April 2016

Speech Pathology Australia