Helen Callanan is the founder, co-owner, and lead educator of Preparing the Way, which has trained over 2,600 end of life doulas across Australia and New Zealand. With more than 35 years’ experience as a doula and over 40 years supporting people who are healing, living with a diagnosis, advancing in age, and grieving, Helen brings deep personal and professional insight to her work.
She provides training and consultation to government bodies, NGOs, universities, and healthcare organisations, and serves as Chair of HELD, Australia’s peak body for holistic end of life care. Her passion is education that empowers choice, compassion, and transformation.
A good death. A shared journey panel session
Precis
Implementing palliative care in aged care settings faces systemic challenges, including limited understanding of palliative care, inadequate training for staff, and systemic barriers like resource allocation. Furthermore, communication gaps between healthcare professionals, residents, and families can hinder effective care delivery. Cultural and social factors also play a role, with some individuals holding misconceptions about palliative care. This panel discussion will work through the key challenges and enhanced integrated care models from the perspective of aged care and palliative care leaders.