Contact Southern NSW Local Health District Central Intake Service on 1800 999 880 to make a referral or contact your local community health service to make enquiries
Our Services are here to assist you live your life as fully and as comfortably as possible when living with a life-limiting or terminal illness. The service is provided by community nurses, GPs and other doctors, and by staff in hospitals and residential care facilities. Specialist palliative care staff are also available to provide support with problems that are more complex.
We identify and treat symptoms which may be physical, emotional, spiritual or social. We work with other Health professionals to make sure the care you receive is well coordinated.
You can receive palliative care support you whether you are at home, in a residential care facility or in hospital.
How can Palliative Care help you?
We assist in managing symptoms and improving quality of life when you have been told that you have a serious illness that cannot be cured. Palliative care can help you with illnesses such as:
- Cancer;
- Motor neurone disease; and
- End‑stage kidney or lung disease
For some people, palliative care may be beneficial quite soon after diagnosis, even when you are having treatment which is aimed at prolonging your life.
If you have any questions about palliative care you can also contact your local community health centre and ask to speak with the palliative care nurse or visit the Palliative Care Australia website for more information.
There are Specialist Palliative Care Services based in Bega, Eurobodalla, Cooma, Queanbeyan and Goulburn. They provide outreach services to all communities and facilities in the Local Health District. You can find out where the palliative care service for your area is based by contacting your local health service, or speak to your GP about palliative care.
What does Palliative Care provide?
Because palliative care is based on individual needs, the services offered will differ but may include:
- Relief of pain and other symptoms e.g. vomiting, shortness of breath
- Resources such as equipment needed to aid care at home
- Assistance for families to come together to talk about sensitive issues
- Links to other services such as home help and financial support
- Support for people to meet cultural obligations
- Support for emotional, social and spiritual concerns
- Counselling and grief support
- Referrals to other support services
- Help with Advance Care Planning
- Support for decision-making about care options
Palliative care is a family-centred model of care, meaning that family and carers can receive practical and emotional support.
Palliative Care Resources
- CareSearch - CareSearch provides trustworthy information about palliative care for patients, carers and families as well as for the health professionals providing their care.
- Advance Care Planning - Advance Care Planning Australia provides online courses and face-to-face workshops nationally, specifically designed to support aged care workers, health professionals and the general public learn more about advance care planning.
- NSW Health has published a booklet which contains an Advance Care Directive form and information to help you complete it.
- ELDAC - The ELDAC project aims to improve the care of older Australians. Health professionals and aged care workers can access information, guidance, and resources to support palliative care and advance care planning for older people and their families.
- Motor Neurone Disease - MND NSW provides information, support and education for people living with motor neurone disease, their families, friends and carers in NSW, ACT, the Gold Coast and NT.
- NSW Paediatric Palliative Care Program - This website has been developed to provide information for patients, families and health professionals who care for a child with a life limiting illness.
- Palliative Care Australia - Palliative Care Australia is the peak national body for palliative care. It represents all those who work towards high quality palliative care for all Australians. Working closely with consumers, our Member Organisations and the palliative care workforce, we aim to improve access to, and promote the need for, palliative care.
Want to become a Palliative Care Volunteer?
Palliative Care Volunteers are speciality trained volunteers who have chosen to give back to their community by supporting people with life limiting conditions, their carers and families through end of life. Southern NSW LHD Palliative Care Volunteers visit people in their homes and in residential aged care. Volunteers are provided training to offer social, emotional and practical support and respite to clients, carers and their families, reducing distress, improving peoples’ quality of life and bereavement experiences.
Click here to learn more.