The IAPC Older Person Care Special Interest Group is  established  under  the  IAPC’s  Mission  to  promote  palliative  care  through  education, representation and networking and thereby build capacity in palliative care at the individual and at sector  level on the Island of Ireland.

Purpose: The purpose of the Group is to address the challenges in meeting the current and future needs of those requiring  palliative  care  and  end-of-life  care  in  extended  care settings  and  also  future  access  to  and delivery of palliative care in these settings.

Role: The role of the Group is to be: –

(a)  a  learning  network  which  actively  promotes  the  application  of  best  practice  in  all  aspects  of  older person  care  and  palliative  care  through  the  sharing  of knowledge,  learning,  experience,  skills  and practice in relation to the care of older people

(b)  a  source  of  information  and  data  on  the  provision of  services  related  to  older  person  care  on  the island of Ireland

(c)  an  expert  advisory  group  to  the  IAPC  Board  on  key  issues  relating  to  older  person  care,  including service provision and policy development, implementation and monitoring.

Workplan:

(i) In 2016 the group developed a Discussion Document – Palliative Care and Older Person Care; which seeks to promote the application of best practice in all aspects of older person care and palliative care through the sharing of knowledge, learning, experience, skills and practice in relation to the care of older people; and be a source of information and data on the provision of services related to older person care on the island of Ireland. Download

(ii) Submission to the Citizens Assembly 2017 – How we respond to the Challenges and Opportunities of an Ageing Population;  Download

(iii) Submission to IAHPC (Joint Submission with the Irish Hospice Foundation) -Answering seven questions about the state of palliative care for older persons in Ireland – March 2018 Download

Members: Una Molloy (Chairperson), Clinical Nurse Specialist, St Francis Hospice, Dublin

Dr Kevin Connaire, Head of Education, St Francis Hospice, Dublin

Pauline Dunne, Clinical Nurse Specialist (OutReach), Meath Specialist Palliative Care

Mary Flanagan, Director of Nursing, Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, Dublin

Caroline Gourley, Clinical Nurse Manager II, Bellavilla Community Unit, Dublin

Jacqueline Holmes, Community Services Manager, Milford Care Centre, Limerick

Marie Lynch, Programme Development Manager, Irish Hospice Foundation

Eimear McCormack, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, Dublin

Joanne McElhinney, Clinical Nurse Specialist (OutReach), Louth Specialist Palliative Care

Sarah McGrath, Director of Nursing, Strathmore Lodge Nursing Home, Kilkenny

Lisa Malone, Practice Development Facilitator, Nursing Homes Ireland

Dr Amanda Phelan, Subject Head: Older Person’s Nursing, School of Nursing, Midwifery & Health System, University College Dublin

Jennifer Richardson, Clinical Nurse Specialist (OutReach), Cavan/Monaghan Specialist Palliative Care

Resources and Information:

Project ECHO AIIHPC: Nursing Homes https://www.professionalpalliativehub.com/education/project-echo-aiihpc

Irish Hospice Foundation – Residential Care Programmes https://hospicefoundation.ie/healthcare-programmes/residential-care/

HSE National Clinical Programme for Older People https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/Who/clinical/natclinprog/olderpeopleprogramme/