CareSearch Project

10/03/2026

💊 Managing symptoms and medicines in palliative care

When someone is living with a life-limiting illness, understanding symptoms and the medicines used to manage them can help patients and carers feel more prepared and supported. 🤝

This section covers common symptoms in palliative care and how medicines can help improve comfort and quality of life. Please feel free to share this resource to support patients, families, and carers as they navigate care decisions. 💙

Learn more: 🔗
https://www.caresearch.com.au/Community/Patients-and-Carers/Symptoms-and-Medicines

10/03/2026

“The Scale may not be very useful for deciding who should, or should not, receive treatment because it is not really able to tell us whether individual older persons are at a higher risk of dying.”

In this blog, Dr Robin Blythe and Prof. Adrian Barnett examines the role of the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS) 👩‍🦽 in planning for end-of-life care among older people. 🧓 While the CFS is a validated and widely used tool that ranks frailty from very fit to terminally ill. Their study raised the caution against relying on it to predict death within 90 days or to determine who should receive treatment or begin end-of-life discussions. 💬

Read the blog🔗 https://www.caresearch.com.au/About-Us/Newsroom/Palliative-Perspectives/Palliative-Perspectives-Blog-Details/ArtMID/17907/ArticleID/6451/What-can-the-Clinical-Frailty-Scale-tell-us-about-planning-for-death

04/03/2026

“While palliative care offers vital medical, emotional, and spiritual support, not all distress responds to existing treatments. Emerging research suggests that psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy🍄 may provide a new option for easing psychological and existential suffering.”

In this blog, Dr Marg Ross, Senior Clinical Psychologist at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, explores the emerging role of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy in supporting people living with life-limiting illness. 🤝International trials in people with cancer have shown rapid and sustained reductions in depression and anxiety, though further research is needed to better understand long-term outcomes and how this approach may be integrated into care. 🔎

Read the blog🔗 https://www.caresearch.com.au/About-Us/Newsroom/Palliative-Perspectives/Palliative-Perspectives-Blog-Details/ArtMID/17907/ArticleID/6452/Psilocybin-assisted-psychotherapy-Exploring-new-treatments-for-distress-at-end-of-life

03/03/2026

Study spotlight 💡

Outlines how AI‑based simulations 🤖 can improve nursing students’ confidence and competence in end‑of‑life communication 💬 whilst recognising certain limitations.

Read here👉https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41412086/

01/03/2026

Advance care planning is a key part of quality palliative care, supporting people to make informed decisions that reflect their values, preferences and needs.

This upcoming seminar explores how conversations and cultural context shape advance care planning in practice — with insights relevant for clinicians, educators and those supporting people at the end of life.

⬇️ 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄

✨ 𝗥𝗲𝗣𝗮𝗗𝗗 𝗦𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 | 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 As part of 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗣...

26/02/2026

𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗿𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗕𝗹𝗼𝗴: 𝗔 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 – “𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲”

Caring for someone with a life limiting illness can be an emotional, exhausting and deeply personal journey. In CarerHelp’s latest blog, Lorraine shares her story of navigating support services, the gaps she encountered, and the emotional load that often goes unseen. She also provides practical tips for other carers who may be feeling the same.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://www.carerhelp.com.au/News/CarerHelp-Updates/News-and-Resources/ArtMID/14852/ArticleID/6397/A-Carer-Perspective-%e2%80%9cMore-please%e2%80%9d

25/02/2026

𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗿𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 is providing 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 to support carers across Australia. These supportive sessions are run by experienced health professionals and cover everything from preparing for end of life care to coping with grief.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗷𝗼𝗶𝗻?
• Practical guidance for every stage of the caring journey
• Expert insights on planning, symptom management, and self care
• A safe space to ask questions
• Helpful resources you can use right away

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://www.carerhelp.com.au/News/Register-for-online-sessions

24/02/2026

🌟 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻: HESTA 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀

The 𝗛𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗔 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 recognise outstanding contributions across 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵, 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀, including those supporting people with 𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲.

Across Australia, many individuals, teams and services are making a meaningful difference in the quality of care, support and dignity provided at the end of life. This is an opportunity to recognise and celebrate that work.

If you know someone who is making an impact, consider nominating them for this national recognition.

🗓 𝗡𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝟭𝟮 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲

🔗 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲: https://www.hesta.com.au/awards/excellence-awards

23/02/2026

“Systemic barriers and communication gaps contribute to lower ACP uptake among people with cancer from CALD backgrounds.” 🌏

In this blog, Dr Ashfaq Chauhan, Anna Kenny, Kylie Ash, Dr Mila Obucina and Professor Reema Harrison outline the iCanPlan Program, developed by the Australian Institute of Health Innovation at Macquarie University, as a practical response to this challenge 🧩.

Read more to see how this initiative is helping address inequities ⚖️ in cancer care and strengthen culturally responsive advance care planning 🔗 https://www.caresearch.com.au/About-Us/Newsroom/Palliative-Perspectives/Palliative-Perspectives-Blog-Details/ArtMID/17907/ArticleID/6385/preview/true

22/02/2026

✨ 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗗𝗿 𝗢𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗿

We are delighted to welcome Dr Olivia Farrer to the 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗦𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺, 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗗, 𝗮𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄.

Olivia will lead CareSearch and palliAGED activities, bringing a wealth of experience across 𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵, 𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Her expertise will support the continued development of evidence-based resources and workforce capability in palliative and end-of-life care.

We look forward to the leadership, insight and collaboration Olivia will bring to this work.

𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲, 𝗢𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗮!

19/02/2026

When someone you care about starts needing more support, it can feel overwhelming to know where to begin. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗿𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 asks questions about how prepared you feel to care for your partner, relative, or friend.

This page brings together practical information and supportive guidance to help you feel more prepared and confident as a carer.

𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲 to find resources that match your needs: https://www.carerhelp.com.au/Carer-Pathways/Pathway-1-When-Someone-Needs-Care/Carer-check-Pathway-1-When-Someone-Needs-Care

18/02/2026

There is a diversity of 𝗟𝗚𝗕𝗧𝗜𝗤+ 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆𝘀, 𝗵𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆, 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀. On the 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗿𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗟𝗚𝗕𝗧𝗜𝗤+ 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲, there are a range of videos featuring health professionals and carers sharing their insights and personal stories. These conversations can bring clarity, reassurance, and a sense of connection.

𝗩𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗿𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗼𝘀: https://www.carerhelp.com.au/Communities/LGBTIQ