 Patient and Carer Information
What palliative care services are provided in the SMR? There
are a variety of palliative care services available in the
Southern Metropolitan Region for people living with a life
limiting illness. Palliative
care services in the region recognise that illness affects the
whole person and their family and carers in many ways -
physically, emotionally, socially and spiritually. They take a
holistic approach
that ensures the provision of a comprehensive range of services for
patients and their carers dependent upon their needs. These services
offer emotional
and practical support to patients, their family members and carers
in a range of settings including the patient’s own home, aged
care facilities and hospitals. Palliative care services may include:
- Medical and nursing support from specialist trained clinical staff
- Treatment
of pain and other symptoms
- Counselling: emotional and spiritual support
- Bereavement & loss
services
- Pastoral care
- Social work
- Financial and community welfare advice
- Special needs services
- Patient care volunteer support
- Art and Music Therapy
- Occupational Therapy
- Respite care and support
| Palliative Care Victoria |
CareSearch - Palliative Care knowledge
network |
Palliative Care Victoria (PCV) has palliative
care information for patients and carers which provides answers
to questions about:
- What type of specialised health care can palliative care
offer?
- What type of practical support can palliative care offer?
- When should I consider palliative care? and more.
|
CareSearch also
provides palliative care information
for Patients, Carers, Families and Friends on palliative
care topics such as living with illness, having difficult conversations
and feelings and emotions.
There are also resources directed towards carers
that help with practical caring matters and with understanding
what is happening. For families and friends there is information
on how to help and what to say. |
Where are palliative care services located in the region?
Palliative Care services are available throughout the Southern
Metropolitan Region. Essential information about where specific palliative
care
services are located in the region is contained in the Palliative
Care Services Locator.
Grief - support services
Grief is an emotional response to loss. Everyone will experience loss at some
stage in life. The death of someone you love is a particularly difficult experience.
Support from friends and family
People who have support from family and friends are often more likely to
cope better with bereavement and loss. However, some people may also benefit
from
support in the form of counselling.
Bereavement counselling
Grief support services provide counselling, support and education. Talking
things over with a trained counsellor can help you make sense of your feelings.
Counsellors can offer encouragement, support and advice. They will not
tell you what to do or how you should be feeling, but they may put forward
ideas
and strategies to help you cope.
Services for children
Children can experience loss and grief from a very young age. The Centre for
Grief Education runs a support program for children from four to 14 years who
have experienced the death of anyone significant in their lives.
Kids Help Line offers a confidential 24 hour telephone counselling service
for children on 1800 551 800.
Where to get help
- Your doctor
- Your palliative care service
- Community Health Centres
- Bereavement Counselling and Support Service Tel. (03) 9543 9449
- Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement – Kids Grieve Too; Younger
Bereaved Partners; – Tel. (03) 9265 2111
- Griefline Tel. (03) 9596 7799 – from 12 noon to 3 am, seven
days a week.
- Kids Help Line Tel. 1800 551 800 24 hours a day, seven days
a week.
- National Association for Loss and Grief Tel. (03) 9650 3000
or 1800 100 023
- The Compassionate Friends Victoria Inc. Tel. (03) 9888
4944 or 1800 641 091 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
- Solace for Bereaved Partners Tel. (03) 9384 1722.
source: Adapted from Better Health Channel Palliative Care Victoria
has some helpful resources
to support those who are experiencing loss and grief. How do I access respite services? Respite is temporary care which is provided to a person requiring palliative
care, so that their carers can take a break. There are a number of ways that respite can be offered. These may be
subject to regional variation. It is important to discuss respite needs
with your Palliative Care Worker or your General Practitioner, so that
assessments can be made and the most appropriate form of respite accessed. The Palliative Care Respite brochure contains helpful
information about how to access respite services and who provides
respite services in the Southern Metropolitan Region.
Information about respite services in the Southern Metropolitan Region
may also be accessed through your local service provider. Find contact
details of your local service provider through the Palliative
Care Services Locator. Further respite information may be obtained at Commonwealth
Respite Carer Centre. For carer respite and support
service through the Commonwealth Respite Carer Centre, please call 1800
059 059. If the matter is urgent you can call this number 24 hours a
day.
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