How we can help.

YOUR TEAM

Your Palliative Care team includes: 

OUR SERVICES

 

Medical and Nursing Care

Palliative Care Nurses

Our nurses have specialist palliative care training and are used to looking after people at home. We specialise in pain and symptom management and psychological support. Our focus is to improve your quality of life and comfort and to support your life choices.

We provide planned visits Monday to Friday with weekend visits scheduled as required.

A 24 hour on-call phone support nursing service is available. You can talk with our trained staff 24 hours a day – 7 days a week.

Palliative Care Nurse Practitioners

Nurse Practitioners are registered nurses who practice at an advanced level. They have the expertise to diagnose and treat people of all ages with a variety of acute or chronic health conditions. They can interpret diagnostic tests, communicate diagnoses, prescribe essential medications and provide education, counselling and support.

Specialist Palliative Care Doctor

Your GP and specialist are still your main medical care providers. Palliative Care South East has a Palliative Care Doctor who can provide consultancy, support and advice to your GP and your care team about symptom management.

 

‘EPIC’ Early Palliative Intervention Clinic

Palliative Care South East is very proud to announce the launch of our Early Palliative Intervention Clinic (EPIC) located in Cranbourne.

The EPIC Clinic is a pilot venture funded with the generous assistance of Better Care Victoria. The EPIC Clinic is open Tuesdays to people with a life-limiting illness, who are stable and able to attend the EPIC Clinic in Cranbourne.

Research indicates that early access to palliative care services greatly benefits the quality of life of those diagnosed with a life-limiting illness. The EPIC Clinic is a multi-disciplinary clinic offering Nursing, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, Counselling and Massage Therapy services. We also offer a Carer Education and Support program where carers of PCSE Clients can come and be supported in a safe environment. As an EPIC Client you will have access to our 24 hour phone support service.

The EPIC Clinic provides support for:

• Symptom Management
• Making choices about your care and quality of life
• Advance care planning
• you to have more control
• Carers through our Education programs and Volunteer peer support

When clients become too unwell to attend the EPIC Clinic they can be transitioned to our Home Care Service where care will continue through to end of life.  Bereavement support is also available to carers and families as required.

For further information please call our Intake Team on 03 5991 1300 to discuss the benefits of being an EPIC client in more detail or download the EPIC Brochure.

You can download a copy of the EPIC Clinic brochure here.

 

Counselling

You may feel distraught, angry, lost, confused, overwhelmed or just need to talk to someone. Our counsellors are available to provide emotional support to you, your carer and family members through all stages of your journey. Counselling may help you to learn new ways to cope with and respond to the different stages of your illness.

 

Social Work

Our Social Worker helps you and your family deal with the personal and social problems of illness, disability and impending death. They can help by making referrals to community services (eg: financial help, home help, respite). They provide support to you and your family.

 

Occupational Therapy

The Occupational Therapist (OT) can work with you and your family or carer to help you to continue to live a full and normal life that is meaningful to you.

The OT can assist with providing practical solutions for activities of daily living (bathing, dressing, walking, eating, doing housework, leisure, etc). They can help you maintain your dignity.

They will visit you in your home and conduct an assessment. They will then suggest improvements such as:

• changing the way you do things
• recommending helpful equipment
• energy conservation strategies

The OT also has a role in pain control through positioning, pressure relief and relaxation techniques.

 

Music Therapy

Our Music Therapist uses live and recorded music to help you relax. The benefits of music therapy may include:

• reducing pain and other symptoms
• helping you to celebrate life and living
• accessing memories and meaningful experiences
• creating songs and recordings
• learning coping strategies
• helping you relax

 

 

Volunteer Support

Our trained Palliative Care Volunteers are an integral part of the Palliative Care South East team and may be involved in many different aspects of your care. These may include providing you with companionship, spending time with you to allow your carer time out from the caring role, practical assistance (for example shopping; driving you to appointments; providing opportunities for outings) or assisting you to write a biography of your life through listening and recording those events that are important to you as part of our “Sharing My Story” program.

All of our Volunteers complete a special course in palliative care so that they can support you.

 

Spiritual Care

Our Spiritual Care Worker can provide spiritual support for you, your carer and family. This care is inclusive of all cultures regardless of religious or spiritual orientation. The focus is on “being with” you and helping you think about what has meaning to you such as your joys, sorrows, pain, fears, guilt and hopes.