About palliative care
Palliative care is support to manage your symptoms and quality of life when you have been diagnosed with a serious incurable illness. It can help you have the best quality of life for as long as possible.
It can include:
- symptom management
- family support
- end of life care
- bereavement support.
You can have palliative care as well as other treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and antibiotics.
Where you can have palliative care
You can have palliative care in the place that works best for you and your family.
This may include:
- at home, either your own home or a group home
- in a hospice
- in hospital
- in a residential aged care facility
- in an adult respite facility such as Leo’s Place, or Bear Cottage in Sydney for children and young people.
Types of palliative care
Palliative care can be separated into primary palliative care, also referred to as end of life care or comfort care, and specialist palliative care.
Primary palliative care
Primary palliative care means care during the last 12 months of life. It can be a longer or shorter time than this – there is no set timeline.
Specialist palliative care
Specialist palliative care is delivered when symptoms and situations are complex. These services are available at home or residential aged care facility, as an outpatient appointment or in a specialist palliative care unit.
Palliative care in the ACT
Doctors, nurses, social workers, physiotherapists and allied health workers work together to provide palliative care services.
Palliative care services in the ACT are available for people who live in the ACT. Some services also available to people who live in the surrounding region.
If you think palliative care could help you, talk to your GP or other health professional and ask them to refer you to a palliative care service.
You can also refer yourself to some services.
Find out more about end of life and palliative care services in Canberra.