What is palliative care?

Palliative care is care that can support anyone who has an incurable illness and their family and carers. It can be provided from the moment you or your loved one are diagnosed, while you/they are having supportive treatment such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and antibiotics or at the end of your life.

Palliative care aims to work with you and your family and carers to understand your goals of care to help improve your quality of life.

The goal of palliative care is to:

• help you achieve the best quality of life for as long as possible
• make sure your physical, social, cultural, and spiritual needs are met
• support your family and carers
• provide you information to help enable you to make informed decisions about your health care needs including your preferred place of care and your preferred place of death.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and palliative care

As a team we endeavour to provide holistic care by providing support and services in alignment with your spiritual beliefs and your life cycle. We do this by fulfilling the need to return to country when able, communicating with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Liaison Officer and using an interpreter when required.

What specialist palliative care services are available at Canberra Hospital?

Canberra Hospital has a specialist palliative care team that includes

• nurses
• nurse practitioner
• doctors
• psychosocial staff
• music therapist.

The team can help you with:

• relief of symptoms such as pain, nausea, shortness of breath and emotional distress
• support for social and spiritual concerns
• difficult decisions about medical treatment
• bringing families and carers together with yourself to talk about sensitive issues
• information about what options are available to support your experience and your family and carer’s experience
• making sure your voice is heard on issues that are important to you
• referral to palliative care services in the community
• assessment for Clare Holland House inpatient care
• counselling and grief support including bereavement counselling

Where can I receive palliative care?

People can receive palliative care in almost any setting where health care is provided. Where possible we aim to link you and your carers with the most appropriate palliative care service to meet your needs.

This may include care:

• at home
• in a hospice
• in hospital including specialist palliative care outpatient clinic
• in a residential aged care facility
• other out of home setting.

If you or your loved one is nearing the end of your life, talking about your wishes is important. You may have some preferences about where you die, how much your family or carers are involved and what symptoms are distressing you and ways in which to address them. With planning we can help to put this in place for you.

Canberra Hospital’s specialist palliative care team can talk with you about care options in more detail and connect you with palliative care providers in your community when you leave hospital.

Who provides my palliative care

Palliative care can be provided by:

• general practitioners
• nurse practitioners
• specialist doctors and nurses
• community nurses and allied health staff
• aged care workers
• other health professionals providing care for people with life-limiting illnesses.

It is important that your family and carers are involved in planning for your care and treatment, especially if they are helping provide your daily care.

When I’m in hospital how can I get specialist palliative care involved with my care?

To see someone from the palliative care team while you are in hospital, ask your:

• doctor
• nurse
• social worker
• Aboriginal Liaison Officer.

A palliative care volunteer program supported by Palliative Care ACT is also available at Canberra Hospital. Volunteers provide a range of support services and a friendly face while you are in hospital.

Where can I find more information

Additional information is also available at:

Palliative Care Australia
www.palliativecare.org.au

Care Search
www.caresearch.com.au

ACT Health
End of life and palliative care - ACT Government

Contact details

For more information call the Specialist Palliative Care Consult Team at Canberra Hospital through the switch board on 5124 0000 between 8am and 5pm.