APS Member Groups

CareSearch Palliative Care Knowledge Network 

The Australian Psychological Society (APS) has been involved in the development of the CareSearch Palliative Care Knowledge Network website. The CareSearch website was launched on May 26, 2008 during National Palliative Care Week. This website is a valuable resource for Health Psychologists and other psychologists who are working with clients with a terminal illness or the families or medical staff who are supporting people with a terminal illness. Additionally, the resources and information available through this website could be useful for researchers, educators or health service providers.

The website is well developed for an easy navigation into areas relevant to a range of end-users. Therefore, the website meets the needs of a wide range of professionals as well as palliative care patients and their carers and families. CareSearch is a free online palliative care resource service created by Flinders University, and funded by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing.

Palliative care involves caring for the physical, cultural, social, emotional and spiritual needs of a person who is dying. Each year 100,000 Australians face a life threatening progressive illness. Knowing where to get help and what type of help is out there can be daunting for all people involved in the patient's life and care. The CareSearch Palliative Care Knowledge Network aims to address this issue by providing free, easily accessible, evidence-based and up-to-date information on palliative care. This dynamic website is regularly updated as new evidence emerges and is peer-reviewed by Australian Health Professionals.

The website can be used by health professionals to access the wealth of information and resources available including:

• Clinical information and links to resources for common signs and symptoms (e.g., fatigue);
• Links to services such as palliative care providers and disease-specific resources (e.g., Multiple Sclerosis Australia);
• Links to professional groups (e.g., Psychologists, Nurses and Aboriginal Health Workers);
• Information on higher education in death and dying, including web-based learning;
• Research resources, including a research register, survey design instruments, list of granting agencies and search tools for finding evidence (e.g., tailored Pubmed Searches on palliative care);
• Information on support groups in each state;
• Indigenous resources;
• Information about the role of psychologists in palliative care and links to professional resources, such as APS interest groups and guidelines for the provision of quality palliative care.

Patients, families, friends and carers can be referred to the CareSearch website for straightforward advice, help and information about death and dying (e.g., help with transport, financial matters, difficult conversations, making a living will, and respite care). This valuable resource is not intended to replace care from health professionals; rather it complements the care they are already receiving.

To access CareSearch Palliative Care Knowledge Network, please visit www.caresearch.com.au.

To subscribe to @CareSearch, the monthly newsletter, please register at www.caresearch.com.au.