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Older people living with frailty and/or cognitive impairment who have coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) experience higher rates of critical illness. There are also people who become critically ill with COVID‐19 for whom a decision is made to take a palliative approach to their care. The need for clinical guidance in these two populations resulted in the formation of the Care of Older People and Palliative Care Panel of the National COVID‐19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce in June 2020. This specialist panel consists of nursing, medical, pharmacy and allied health experts in geriatrics and palliative care from across Australia.

The Taskforce established a specialist panel to address the care of older people and those requiring palliative care. The Care of Older People and Palliative Care Panel was tasked with developing clinical flow charts to address key topics not currently covered in the living guideline recommendations. The Panel was also tasked with reviewing the living guideline recommendations relevant to this population and developing any population‐specific guidance where appropriate.

This MJA guideline summary shares more.

Details

• Explain key components of the guideline.
• List main recommendations.
• Recognise changes in management as a result of the guideline.

Authors: Saskia Cheyne, Richard I Lindley, Natasha Smallwood, Britta Tendal, Michael Chapman, David Fraile Navarro, Phillip D Good, Peter Jenkin, Steve McDonald, Deidre Morgan, Melissa Murano, Tanya Millard, Vasi Naganathan, Velandai Srikanth, Penelope Tuffin, Joshua Vogel, Heath White, Samantha P Chakraborty, Elizabeth Whiting, Leeroy William, Patsy M Yates, Mandy Callary, Julian Elliott and Meera R Agar, for the National COVID‐19 Clinical Evidence Taskforce

Article Type: Guideline summary