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Palliative care in your home

Some families have the responsibility of caring for someone dying at home, and it’s not easy. This includes difficulty with knowing where to go for help, how to make informed decisions about medications and other interventions, lack of coordination in the services available, lack of respite care, and financial hardships. Here are some of the programs that you may wish to know about, as they’ll help you and the person you’re caring for maintain quality of life.

Services to help

Palliative care is flexible and can be provided at home with the support of community-based services or in a hospital or hospice (more information). The best option will vary according to the needs of the individual and their family.

If you would like to talk through the options available to you, visit the Palliative Care Australia website or contact them on (02) 6232 4433. They have a list of member organisations in each state and territory that may be able to help. Contact 1800 200 422 during business hours or for emergency carer respite support outside standard business hours call 1800 059 059.

Community care services

There are an increasing number of services available to help older people receive their care at home, but these vary from area to area. These include everything from community nursing, domestic help, personal care and home modifications to meal services, allied health, transport services and more.

Read more: About what services are available

Aged care homes

Palliative care is also offered in aged care homes. In fact, the palliative care approach provided by some aged care homes reduces the need to move residents to other locations such as a hospital or hospice. We’ve devoted a section of our website to palliative care in aged care homes, should you be interested.

Read more: About Palliative care in aged care homes
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Palliative care equipment

Families and carers of people who wish to die at home can be loaned equipment, such as a hosiptal bed. Access to this equipment is making a real difference to the quality of life and independence of those being cared for at home. For more information about how the equipment can be accessed contact Palliative Care Australia on 02 6232 4433 or their member associations in each state or territory.

Short-term care

Many people prefer to have their last days at home because their surroundings are familiar and more comfortable. As families provide so much emotional support, support for them is critical, too. Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres can often organise either short-term or emergency respite services so that your carer can take a break. This can take place in your home or in a facility. Phone 1800 200 422 for information during business hours or for emergency carer respite support outside standard business hours, call 1800 059 059.

Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres

Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres, located across Australia, provide a link to a wide range of community, aged care and support services that are availble locally and nationally. Centres provide information about services for older people, people with a disability, and those who provide care and services. Centres can also help carers with options to take a break through short-term and emergency respite (based on assessed need) and provide advice on and coordinate access to respite services in a carer's local area.

Contact 1800 200 422 during business hours or for emergency carer respite support outside standard business hours on 1800 059 059.

Carers Australia

Carers Australia represents carers of people with a disability, mental illness, chronic condition or those who are frail or aged. It also provides information, support, education, training and counselling.

National Carer Counselling Program (NCCP)

The National Carer Counselling Program provides short-term counselling and emotional and psychological support services for carers. This aims to help reduce carer stress, improve carer coping skills and facilitate, wherever appropriate, continuation of the caring role. The NCCP is delivered through the Network of Carer Associations in each state and territory.

Carer support groups

Carer support groups provide emotional support to carers, and are sometimes organised around specific conditions.

Getting financial help

To find out if you are eligible for financial assistance, contact:

Help with translation

If you need communication assistance in a language other than English, you can contact the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS)on 13 14 50.

Find out more about local services

To find out more about palliative care resources, such as fact sheets and booklets, you can contact Palliative Care Australia.

There is a lot of material that you can read about palliative care. One section of our website has plenty of information that you can download for free. You can also talk to a social worker at your hospital or hospice.
For more information on palliative care services you may also like to talk to your local doctor or community nurse.
Read more: About resources for palliative care

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This page was last updated on: 01 July 2011