Sensitive Conversations
Summary
The Sensitive Conversations Training Kit can be used by CHSP-funded aged care providers to run short, regular training sessions about having sensitive conversations with older people.
Sensitive conversations include advance care planning, changes in function, elder abuse, grief and loss.
Background
CHSP-funded aged care organisations are required to become more skilled in conducting sensitive conversations with older people.
This project emerged following quality and safety accreditation audits that identified opportunities to improve the way funded organisations undertake and document discussions with older people about advance care planning. Talking about advance care planning is a newer requirement for CHSP-funded organisations.
Although there are a range of resources available about advance care planning, staff report that they find it challenging to have the confidence and knowledge to introduce, conduct and document a conversation.
Phase 1: Scoping
The SSD Connect Alliance partnered with the Migrant Resource Centre North West Region on the scoping phase. The partnership worked with Everybody's Business to consult with culturally and linguistically diverse CHSP-funded aged care providers about having sensitive conversations.
Big thanks to our reference group:
Migrant Resource Centre North West Region
United – Spanish Latin American Welfare Centre
Australian Vietnamese Women's Association.
Outcomes
Opportunities were identified to enhance CHSP-funded organisations’ systems and practices to make sure they meet the needs of older people and their funding obligations.
The main recommendations were to :
Develop training modules that can be used by organisations in team meetings
Create a decision-making map that takes a risk assessment framework approach
Source or commission external training focused on advance care planning
Promote existing resources.
Click here to read the Sensitive Conversations Scoping Project Report (PDF).
Phase 2: Training Kit
Acting on the scoping report’s recommendations, we’re developing a training kit that can be used by aged care providers to lead short, regular training sessions with their staff. The kit will include scenarios, a decision-making map and a system for documenting conversations.
We’ve partnered with the Migrant Resource Centre North West Region and United – Spanish Latin American Welfare Centre to develop the kit with Dale Park from Diversity, Training and Consulting.
The Sensitive Conversation Training Kit is aimed at staff who speak English as a second or third language and work with older people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.
The kit is expected to be delivered in early 2025.
Sensitive Conversations Phase 2 kick-off meeting
Advance Care Planning Training Sessions
Another recommendation from the scoping report is to run an advance care planning training session. We’ve partnered with Northern Health to do this.
You can find out more and book into this session here.
Check out our other projects