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MSWA Bulletin Magazine Spring 2019

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NURSING UNDERSTANDING

NURSING UNDERSTANDING ADVANCE CARE PLANNING SUE SHAPLAND RN, BN, MSCN GENERAL MANAGER STRATEGIC SUPPORTS AND RESIDENTIAL OPTIONS You may have noticed a new campaign aimed at increasing awareness about Advance Care Planning, titled “You only die once”. In WA it’s also known as an Advance Health Directive and these are legal documents. WHAT IS IT? Advance care planning allows individuals to document their healthcare preferences so that health professionals can respect their choices in the event they become seriously ill and are unable to communicate. THE BENEFITS / It ensures people receive care that is consistent with their beliefs, values and preferences / It improves end of life care / It provides guidance for the family, helping to reduce stress by guiding treatment decisions / It guides healthcare professionals in decision-making regarding what and where treatments will be delivered WHEN SHOULD YOU DO YOUR PLAN? Your plan can be developed at any time, preferably while you are medically stable, and following a discussion with your family, next of kin and/or GP or other health professional. If not in place already, some of the other recommended times to write one include when a diagnosis of cancer, organ failure or other potentially fatal illness is made, when a diagnosis of early dementia is suspected and if the individual is entering an aged care facility. WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION? / The MSWA nursing team / The Public Advocate WHO SHOULD BE INVOLVED? Advance care planning is a team effort and should involve the individual, close family and friends, substitute decision-makers, family carers, health professionals involved in care eg nurses, doctors and/or social workers. WHERE IS THE PLAN KEPT? The completed document should be stored with the individual, their substitute decision maker, their GP, their specialist, the hospital and their care home. This ensures it is available if needed. www.publicadvocate.wa.gov.au/A/advance_health_directives.aspx / The WA Department of Health healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/J_M/Making-an-Advance-Health-Directive / Advance Care Planning Australia advancecareplanning.org.au/resources/advance-care-planning-foryour-state-territory/wa 12

SPEECH PATHOLOGY AND DIETETICS NOT SO HARD TO SWALLOW "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." ― Hippocrates DYSPHAGIA Drinking and eating is something most people take for granted. On average, a person swallows 600 times a day. Every swallow requires four stages, 25 different muscles and five nerves. Dysphagia, the medical term for difficulty in eating or drinking, can occur at any time during our lives. It may present as difficulty with sucking, swallowing, drinking, chewing, eating, controlling saliva, taking medication or protecting the airway. Sixty one percent of people with a neurological difficulty can experience some sort of dysphagia. QUALITY OF LIFE There’s no denying that eating is a social activity and preserving its enjoyment is an important part of a person’s overall wellbeing. At MSWA’s Butler Supported Accommodation, we have worked as a team to ensure our residents with dysphagia are able to continue to eat and enjoy their favourite foods, as well as ensure their ongoing safety. TEAMWORK Paola, one of the residents wanted to eat sushi for her lunch every day, which she had done for the past number of years. But the nori wrapping and size of sushi presented a risk, possibly resulting in a life-threatening choking episode. Chef Paul Bonner, Claudia Taylor Manager Butler Supported Accommodation and I brainstormed ways in which she could continue to eat sushi. Paul suggested blitzing up the nori into a fine powder, creating a soft and moist filling, and cutting the final pieces into 1.5 cm. The result was fantastic and provided Paola with her favourite food whilst also ensuring her safety from any adverse effects. The team at Butler continues to strive in making the impossible possible for residents by working with food and adapting recipes or the food preparation process. A further special adaptation was with bacon, which a resident wanted to continue to eat, but was unable to chew safely. Paul created a bacon dust from cooked bacon enabling the incorporation of this strong flavour to be sprinkled onto food, delivering the full intensity of flavour. Paola can now enjoy her favourite food thanks to some excellent problem-solving of the team at MSWA’s Butler Supported Accommodation. We look forward to continuing to provide the best possible food experience for our residents and to share what we have learnt with all MSWA facilities. With collaboration, we can understand the challenges and create solutions and positive outcomes for our residents. PAMELA WINDRAM MSWA MANAGER SPEECH PATHOLOGY/DIETETICS WOULD YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE THE BULLETIN ONLINE? Register your email address today to start receiving our monthly Vitality e-newsletter or the Bulletin magazine online. Email damien.hill@mswa.org.au or call 9365 4814 and let us know your current email address, or to update your contact details. 13

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