An introduction
Hello and thank you for joining me.
This blog aims to discuss the wide ranging topic of aged care ethics from the viewpoint of a physiotherapist. The predominant topics will be based around ethical questions regarding care for the elderly; with some physiotherapy specific content sprinkled over too.
The primary topic I have evolved a passion for surrounds patient empowerment, the right to choice, and the processes which govern this. This is an extremely complex area of ethics that evokes strong views and opinions. That is why I find its discussion so interesting and engaging, as well as extremely important.
As a sector, aged care is rapidly expanding. An ageing population provides us with , as a society, a range of complex challenges. These include economic and practical issues, but also ethical and moral dilemmas. This will be the cornerstone of my blog.
Let me introduce myself in more detail. I am a UK trained physiotherapist who graduated in 2015. I since moved to Australia, where I have worked in a private musculo-skeletal practice and then in aged care facilities to date. Along my journey thus far I have learned many lessons and there are no doubt plenty more to come. I like to believe I have a fairly liberal and impressionable personality, which I think allows me to critically appraise various aspects of my work without the biases that cloud the judgments of so many longer standing healthcare professionals.
I hope that this blog can tackle some difficult questions, as well as provide interesting viewpoints that will challenge the closed thinking that is endemic of the healthcare sector worldwide, to the benefit of those we care for.
“It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it”
To finish, a brief set of statements about my future posts to bear in mind…
- My views are my own.
- All constructive feedback and opinions are encouraged.
- Offence is taken not given when intentions are well meant.
I hope you enjoy reading!
Ben