La Trobe University: End-of-Life Care Project Proposal Evaluation

This project proposal, submitted by a Master of Health Sciences (Gerontology) student at La Trobe University, evaluates strategies to enhance the capability of older Greek and Macedonian residents of the City of Whittlesea in end-of-life care. The project, conducted in collaboration with the Palliative Care Unit and the City of Whittlesea's Positive Ageing Program, addresses the communication barriers and cultural considerations impacting end-of-life care for these communities. The proposal outlines a comprehensive approach, including a literature review, organizational context analysis, and the use of an Outcomes Logic Model to assess the 'Way to Go' project. The methodology involves exploring relevant literature, identifying available resources, and evaluating the 'Way to Go' project's processes. Ethical considerations, stakeholder management, risk assessment, and budget details are also included. The project aims to identify effective communication methods and create systems that reinforce existing resources and address any inadequacies in end-of-life support, ultimately improving the quality of care and promoting peaceful and dignified end-of-life experiences for the target communities.

Student Name: [enter your name in here]
Student Number[enter your number in here]
If your organisation has a logo, you should
insert it here
PHE5ALS Action Learning Studies
Assessment Task 2
Project Proposal
Process evaluation of strategies to increase
the capability of older Greek and
Macedonian residents of the City of
Whittlesea in end of life care.
SANDEEP KAUR
FULL TIME STUDENT, Master of Health Sciences (Gerontology)
LA TROBE University Palliative Care Unit City of Whittlesea Positive Ageing
Program
Word count: 2500

Student Name: [enter your name in here]
Student Number [enter your number in here]
If your organisation has a logo, you should
insert it here
Executive Summary
Palliative care means to mitigate any suffering in the last stage of life and enhance the
personal satisfaction for those and their families. It deals with the physical, psychological and other
worldly aspects of these people and provide assistance and backings in like manner. However,
through disrupted organising, it can be implied that the services to end-of-life or palliative care is
regularly lacking. This issue requires immediate attention because of the way people age. I t has
also been assumed that there will be an expanding interest for these administrations in coming
years.
Through an organised and relevant logic model, planning of this sort can be addressed. The
proposed logic model for this project is ‘Outcomes Logic Model’. Logic models have been
successfully used in healthcare projects for some time now. The Calgary health Region, situated in
Canada, has used logic models to administrate their End of Life services.
This project is conducted involving the Palliative Care Unit of the LA TROBE university. The
Greek and Macedonian community residing in Whittlesea city in Australia are the subjects of this
project. Since they migrated as an adult community language has been a major barrier for them.
This study is focused on finding those issues and mitigating them.
Page 2 of 28

Student Name: [enter your name in here]
Student Number [enter your number in here]
If your organisation has a logo, you should
insert it here
Table of Contents
Executive Summary.............................................................................................................................2
Introduction..........................................................................................................................................4
Background and Rationale...............................................................................................................5
Organisational Context.....................................................................................................................6
Project Goals and Objectives...........................................................................................................7
Methods................................................................................................................................................8
Rationale for the methods chosen....................................................................................................8
Description of the Data.....................................................................................................................9
Description of the Analysis..............................................................................................................9
Ethical Issues..................................................................................................................................10
Deliverables and Evaluation...............................................................................................................11
Key Stakeholders and Impact.............................................................................................................12
Risk Assessment.................................................................................................................................13
Budget and Resources........................................................................................................................14
Appendices.........................................................................................................................................15
1 Literature Review........................................................................................................................15
2 Project Logic Model....................................................................................................................16
3 Gantt Chart..................................................................................................................................19
Page 3 of 28

Student Name: [enter your name in here]
Student Number [enter your number in here]
If your organisation has a logo, you should
insert it here
4 Stakeholder Management Plan....................................................................................................20
5 Risk Assessment..........................................................................................................................21
References..........................................................................................................................................22
Page 4 of 28

Student Name: [enter your name in here]
Student Number [enter your number in here]
If your organisation has a logo, you should
insert it here
Introduction
Communication can be referred to the methods of exchanging information between two
individuals by the means of a proper systematic and convenient behaviour or action. In order to
receive the benefits a society has to offer, one should be able to communicate well with other
people of the society (Reinke et al., 2017). This study acknowledges the communication gap
between the Greek and Macedonian group of people and the society thereby. The Greek and
Macedonian people in the area have distinct believes of culture, dialect, customs and religious
convictions (Georgiades, 2015). These believes also include life care and terminal ailments. Some
of these believes along with lack of ability to communicate properly, has turned out be a problem
specially for the elderly people (Yiakoumetti & Papapavlou, 2018). Since most of these people
migrated as adults, English is not there first language, creating a barrier in the communications for
these people in Australia.
This particular study has been conducted in Whittlesea city with the help of “La Trobe
University Palliative Care Unit City of Whittlesea Positive Ageing Program”. The ‘Way to Go’
project of the University is focused on helping out the Greek and Macedonian communities
regarding the healthcare of them in the latter stage of their life.
In order to have a better understanding of the situation, various literatures have been
explored on the Greek and Macedonian health care rituals (Karadzinska‐Bislimovska et al., 2014).
The process of the ‘Way to go’ program has also been analysed in detail to have thorough
comprehension on the subject matter. Assessment of this venture is expected to recognize the best
methods for corresponding the vital health care issues in aforementioned groups and the identify the
Page 5 of 28

Student Name: [enter your name in here]
Student Number [enter your number in here]
If your organisation has a logo, you should
insert it here
most appropriate method for creating systems that reinforce existing resources and address all the
issues that need rectifications.
Page 6 of 28

Student Name: [enter your name in here]
Student Number [enter your number in here]
If your organisation has a logo, you should
insert it here
Background and Rationale
The least a person deserves is to receive a proper end of life care. End of life care is designated to
help the patient or individual under the care to pass away as peacefully and with dignity as possible
(Brinkman-Stoppelenburg, Rietjens & van der Heide, 2014). A lot can be decided before hand so
that the person or the family of the patient need not have trouble making decisions at critical
situations in the last stage of life (Villanueva et al., 2016). Generally, an individual is considered to
be nearing the end of life when the individual has around 12 months more to live. The individual is
considered eligible to receive the end of life care at this point of time. A lot of such services can be
found now days, in all parts of the globe. Apart from all the personal wishes and requirements, this
service also covers all the legal aspects of life. Thus one can plan ahead in case he or she is not
being able to in the last stages of life.
As mentioned before, this particular study is concerned with the end of life care regarding
the Greek and Macedonian communities in Australia. The chosen organisation for this project is
“La Trobe University Palliative Care Unit”. Their service, named 'Way to Go' is under the Positive
Aging system of the Council and will is primarily focused on supporting the Greek and Macedonian
people group regarding their end of life concerns (Reed, Fitzgerald & Bish, 2017). It is critical to
outline resources effectively accessible to these groups in Whittlesea, to recognize the faults in
administrations and to create appropriate methods or techniques to address these faults. Process
assessment of this undertaking is expected to distinguish the best methods for correspondence about
end of life issues in these groups and the best method for creating procedures that reinforce existing
resources and address any ambiguity or inadequacy in end of life support and care.
Page 7 of 28

Student Name: [enter your name in here]
Student Number [enter your number in here]
If your organisation has a logo, you should
insert it here
Organisational Context
The Municipal Association of Victoria have joined hands with the La Trobe University
Palliative Care Unit to provide the funding for monitor the role of local governments in employing
the end of life care. It is specifically focused on finding whether or not the people belonging to the
Macedonian or Greek communities are receiving proper end of life care.
The ‘Way to Go’ project is aimed at development of the community as a whole. The
organization is works to build a compassionate community (Drew, Dollery & Kortt, 2016). The
major goal is to provide assistance and motivation to those who are in the last stages of their lives.
The term used for such services is ‘Palliative Care’. The other aspect of this scheme is to provide
services on a one to one basis. Each individual may have different requirements or services as per
their need.
The wellbeing of the people in a community are dependent on the conditions in which individuals
are conceived, brought up, live and age. These conditions are molded by the circulation of cash,
power and assets at every level (Feischmidt & Szombati, 2017). The unjustifiable and avoidable
contrasts in wellbeing status seen inside and between nations can distinctly be identified in today’s
world (Wiener et al., 2015). The wellbeing of an individual is also dependent on the social,
monetary and the physical condition.
Page 8 of 28

Student Name: [enter your name in here]
Student Number [enter your number in here]
If your organisation has a logo, you should
insert it here
Project Goals and Objectives
The major goal of this project is to look in to the procedures maintained by the organisations
to provide the end of life healthcare support. The evaluation of the processes is to be carried out in
this project to indicate the necessary changes or alterations in the service policy (Beach, 2016). As
communication between the people of the community and those who provide the service are a
major cause of discordance, objective of this study revolves around solving such issues and
providing a guideline for better service (Yulia, 2015). In the process of doing so, the most effective
and constructive method is also to be found out. However, it is essential to recognise and address all
inadequacies beforehand. Upon which a suitable solution can be instituted.
Page 9 of 28

Student Name: [enter your name in here]
Student Number [enter your number in here]
If your organisation has a logo, you should
insert it here
Methods
The three following methods or activities have been chosen in accordance with the subject
matter. Initially, a broad exploration on the literature concerned with the end of life care shall be
done. This section of the research will enlighten the major faults and drawbacks of the service as far
as the Macedonian and Greek community are concerned in Australia. After the detailed literature
review, available resources in the area, that is near the Whittlesea city, are to be found out (Jones,
Phipps & Ashcroft, 2018). This will help in setting a guideline to assess the procedures of the ‘Way
to go’ project. Finally, a thorough evaluation of the process of ‘Way to Go’ scheme will be carried
out. All the discords found in between the system and the culture of the Macedonian and Greek
community people will be presented along with the possible solutions.
Rationale for the methods chosen
This study has a major impact on the livelihood of the Macedonian and Greek community,
currently residing in Australia. Although only a small portion of the Australian population have
arrived in the post-war era from Greece, matter such as end of life care cannot be neglected under
any circumstances (Colic-Peisker & Robertson, 2015). The rigid believes among the said
community in the matters of death and living make the matter far more complicated as well
(Strezova, 2017). Thus upon detailed research, a service method is to be found out that will
eliminate the communication gap as well as respect the believes of those people. Thus it is essential
to establish or rectify the existing service regulations.
Page 10 of 28

Student Name: [enter your name in here]
Student Number [enter your number in here]
If your organisation has a logo, you should
insert it here
Description of the Data
As this is more of a review work, primary data have not been collected. Instead previously
recorded data have been obtained from the organization under consideration and reviewed to find
relevant solutions (Bossaert et al., 2015). The reports of attendance in the various events organized
have been collected and showcase the proportion of people who are actually interested and are well
informed about the service. Documents and reports collected from the present workers have also
been helpful in evaluation.
Description of the Analysis
The literature review on the subject matter is to make all the regulations and effects of the
service are recognized and are well comprehended. The cultural regulations in the Greek and
Macedonian community are to be understood before suggesting an alternate procedure. Any sort of
disrespect towards the culture of any community may hinder the outcome of this project (Teodoro
et al., 2018). Thus it is imperative to understand and acknowledge the cultural believes. At the same
time, it is also crucial to ensure that these people receive the proper end of life care. After through
search of the relevant literature, the local available sources are to be recognized in order to draw a
proper comparison of their service methodologies. It is to be kept in mind that since the people
receiving the service will be in their last year of life, wandering or visiting facilities far away would
generally not be a comfortable choice. It also depends on the individual’s personal choice as well.
These issues are to be addressed while evaluating the ‘Way to Go’ project. The final phase of the
study would be to evaluate the regulations and corresponding actions taken by the workers under
the ‘Way to Go’ project. This would include visits to the patients, accompanying current workers
with their work and reviewing documents and reports of the past. Attending various seminars or
Page 11 of 28

Student Name: [enter your name in here]
Student Number [enter your number in here]
If your organisation has a logo, you should
insert it here
workshops, organized by the Palliative Care Unit of the LA Trobe University is also included as
part of the evaluation.
Ethical Issues
The reason for this code of morals is to build up an arrangement of standards and techniques
to manage the service procedurals to accomplish the objectives and goals of ventures of this sort
(Gjerberg et al., 2015). The moral guidelines ensure the commitments of every one of those
working on the project through the greater part of the periods of the venture, from the plan of the
exploration through to the production and correspondence of the encounters of the undertaking.
Since the matter is delicate in nature, as it involves patients who have a certain period of
time to live, maintaining a certain level of ethics of vital importance. Their wishes may be subject to
confidentiality (Seale et al., 2015). Thus a certain level of confidentiality also needs to be
maintained. Approval of publication is mandatory from each of the patients involved in this study.
As mentioned before, since the project is concerned with the cultural believes of the Greek
and Macedonian community, it is important to not offend any individual in the process. Through
this report, these people will not only have a better understanding of the major drawbacks of the
service, but also help the organization point out the issues which will eliminate the communication
gap between the people and the organization. People of the said communities will benefit
immensely from this service. However, it also important to justify the needs of those individuals.
Page 12 of 28