Context Those living with dementia who require the specialist care environment of Aged Residential care find themselves facing loss, clinical challenges and relational complexities. Their reality results in a very unique grief. It is one that requires time and clinical acumen to help navigate. This presentation will explore both the complex and complicated grief associated with progressing dementia, and how our GP/NP shared care model with a team dedicated clinically to Aged Care alone can make a difference.

Objective To highlight the challenges of those living with dementia and emphasize the pivotal role the primary care provider has in patient outcomes and family grief experience during the disease and after their death. Using practitioners that focus only on Aged Residential Care, the palliative lense is stronger and addressed much earlier.

Discussion The dementia experience is one often mentioned but not talked about enough across all sectors of health. Navigating the significant and recurrent losses with the disease progression, with A known terminal end but unpredictable symptoms, palliative care provided in Aged Residential Care needs a specialist approach on a daily basis. Our model of care utilizes GPs and NPs who work primarily in Aged Care. This means we have been able to grow the palliative care support given across the trajectory of the dementia process. A comprehensive palliative care approach is required, but often do not meet the referral criteria for a specialist palliative care service.

I would present on the shared care GP-NP clinic we have established, specializing in Aged Residential Care. With our daily practice dealing with dementia using a palliative care lense, we can improve patient outcomes and family experience. .

Summary This presentation will talk directly to advancing palliative care practice outside of the hospice setting, to improve the outcomes for the patients and populations we serve. It will be thought provoking and motivating to encourage a desire to grow our practice.