Palliative Care.

WHAT IS PALLIATIVE CARE?

If you have been told you have an illness that cannot be cured, you may have talked about palliative care. Palliative care is for people living with a terminal illness where a cure is no longer possible and for people with an advanced, progressive serious illness who need their symptoms controlled.

Palliative care aims to manage your pain and other symptoms and to provide psychological, social and spiritual support.

The goal of palliative care is to help you and everyone close to you to achieve the best quality of life.

The World Health Organisation recognises that palliative care: 

• Affirms life and regards dying as a normal process
• Provides pain relief and symptom control
• Provides emotional, psychological, spiritual and social support
• Offers a support system to help people live as actively as possible until death
• Offers a support system to help families cope during the person’s illness and in their own bereavement
• Uses a team approach to meet the needs of the person who is ill and their families and carers

WHAT IS COMMUNITY PALLIATIVE CARE?

Community Palliative Care is specialist care provided to those who want to be cared for at home. If you have a terminal or chronic illness, have a home where care can be provided, and you want to die at home, then we will support you in your community.

WHAT IS END OF LIFE CARE?

End of life care is an important part of palliative care for people who are nearing the end of their life. End of life care aims to help people live as well as possible and to die with dignity in the place of their choice whilst being supported by the people they love.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM OUR SERVICE

Our services include:

• assessing your care needs
• support to manage your pain and the other symptoms of your illness
• emotional support
• counselling for you and your family members
• occupational therapy and equipment
• social work to link you to other support services such as respite, aged care assessments, council services and to help you navigate Centrelink
• music and art therapy
• volunteer support including companionship and transport to medical appointments.

OUR MODEL OF CARE

Palliative Care South East offers a ‘needs based’ model of care. Care and treatment plans, based on regular assessment and individual need, will ensure you and your carers will have access to the support you need according to your requirements and is consistent with Palliative Care South East’s values of Empowerment, Responsiveness, Collaboration and Kindness.

Our team of specialists includes nurses, nurse practitioners, palliative care physicians, counsellors, art and music therapists, social workers, a spiritual care worker and occupational therapists. We also have a team of trained volunteers who support our clients and their families.

The aim of this unified approach is to ensure that both you and your carer’s needs as a whole person are met. We care equally about your physical needs as we do about your emotional, spiritual and social needs.