With over 40 years in nursing, Toni has dedicated her career to improving care for older adults and people living with dementia. As the first Nurse Practitioner in Aged Care and Delirium within the acute hospital system, she pioneered new ways to support some of the most vulnerable patients. From community health to palliative care, Toni’s experience is vast, but her passion remains the same—ensuring that patients are always at the centre of care.

After leaving Queensland Health in 2021, she took on a new challenge as an NDIS Support Worker, focusing on younger-onset dementia. Even in retirement, her advocacy hasn’t stopped. She’s a consumer representative on an End-of-Life Care working group and a founding committee member of the upcoming Death Expo in 2025.

In this episode, we explore Toni’s career, her research into patient-centred care, and how she continues to push for change in dementia care and end-of-life conversations. What has she learned about the health system, and where does she see the future of aged care heading? Tune in to hear her insights, stories, and the lessons that have shaped her journey.

Claire Kelly is a highly experienced specialist cancer nurse, HCANZA Accredited Health & Wellness Coach, and Cancer Wellness Coach's founder. With over 3 decades of clinical experience, specialising in cancer, women’s health, and evidence-based health and wellness.

With an extensive career in oncology and palliative care, Claire has a reputation as a clinical leader and has led a range of national supportive care programs and innovative cancer and palliative care support programs in Australia and UK and has led and published research studies.

Claire was recognised as one of the UK’s Top 10 Cancer Nurses and has extensive experience in providing supportive care to clients and their families throughout their cancer experiences. She is the author of Wellness Coaching Australia’s Cancer Coaching Course, a consultant with Sage Women’s Health and Director of Queensland’s Advanced Breast Cancer Group.

Claire is dedicated to providing compassionate, person-centered support for individuals and their families experiencing a cancer diagnosis and living with and beyond cancer. Claire offers a comprehensive range of services designed to support the individual and their loved ones, ensuring that clients' holistic health and well-being goals are acknowledged and supported with compassion and expertise.

You can contact Claire here -

https://cancerwellnesscoach.com/

If you would like to be a guest on this podcast, make contact today https://www.healthyoptionsnow.org/

Christine Boucher spent over 20 years working in the healthcare industry as a

Registered Nurse, specialising in Cardio-thoracic Intensive Care, travelling

internationally working in England, France and the USA. Transitioning from nurse to health coach she is the CEO of her company Wellness Worx, working with Government organisations, small and medium businesses designing and delivering their strategic 12-month Health and Well-Being Plans. Facilitating a fleet of wellness workshops and coaching individuals, and leadership teams to build strong team dynamics, optimally performing individuals and healthy organisational cultures.

Christine resides by the beautiful lakes of East Gippsland and describes herself as an engaged and empathetic relationship builder. She holds a Bachelor of Nursing Degree, Diploma Critical Care Nursing, Diploma Bowen Therapy, Level 3 Health & Wellness Coaching and a Master’s in Business Administration.

Christine believes that workplaces are the new frontier of the healthcare industry and early intervention, working proactively, implementing strategic wellness plans that can disrupt and ultimately change the trajectory of people's health journey keeping them out of hospital, and contributing to their workplace, community and the economy. She is on a mission to see all workplaces implement a standard wellness position to care for their most valuable asset, their people.

You can contact Christine through

www.wellnessworx.com.au

Her gift for you today is her survey -

https://ww-burnout-survey.scoreapp.com/

If you would like to be a guest on this podcast, make contact with Wendy today https://www.healthyoptionsnow.org/