Palliative care starts with conversations to find out “what is important to you” rather than telling people what they need. Palliative care improves quality of life and respects cultural and spiritual values. It provides support, practical help, and respite for carers. It also helps with grief and loss. It enables people to focus on what matters most to them.
Palliative care improves quality of life. It is about comfort, respect, choice and dignity. It finds out what matters most to families when faced with an incurable illness. It provides holistic care and support by a skilled team. Palliative care offers the person and their loved ones the support to live, die and grieve well.
Palliative care helps people with life limiting illnesses. This includes cancers, organ failure, dementia, and other incurable conditions that shorten life. It helps people of all ages. It is helpful from diagnosis and throughout the illness. It can come and go as needed. It also helps the person’s family and loved ones, including with grief and loss.
Palliative care is available from many services. This includes GPs, hospitals, aged care and specialist palliative care services. It can be provided at home or in a place of care. Below are some contacts and links to help you find out more.