Resources for Families & Carers

Caring for someone with a life-limiting illness can be both rewarding and challenging.

You may also have other family or work commitments. It is important to find ways to balance your caring role and other responsibilities so that you maintain a sense of wellbeing.

Palliative Care NSW recognizes the joys and demands of your role.  We provide resources and useful links to networks to help you do your best in your carer’s role.

What is Palliative Care?

Palliative Care is care and support provided to people who have a progressive, life-limiting illness. A life-limiting illness is one likely to cause death in the foreseeable future.  

Palliative Care aims to improve the quality of life for patients, their families, and carers by addressing their many needs; physical (including treatment assessment and management of pain and other symptoms), emotional, social, cultural and spiritual needs. Care offered may include: medical treatment, relief from distressing symptoms (such as pain, nausea, breathlessness), psychological and spiritual support (anxiety, depression, distress), access to resources such as equipment and support to help the family cope during the person’s illness and in their own bereavement. 

Palliative care is for people of any age with a life-limiting illness. It can be provided at any time depending on a person’s needs. It is now accepted that combining palliative care with active treatment improves symptom control, quality of life, and family satisfaction.  

Palliative care may be provided in hospitals or community settings (private homes, residential aged care, general practices community palliative care clinics and day centres). 

 

Palliative Caring Booklet

Palliative Caring Booklet – Information for families and carers who are caring for a person with a life limiting illness or condition. 

Please email info@palliativecarensw.org.au to order hard copies of the Palliative Caring booklet. 

Carer Resources

Carers Australia is the national peak body representing Australia’s unpaid carers, advocating on their behalf to influence policies and services at a national level and work to improve the health, wellbeing, resilience, and financial security of carers and to ensure that caring is a responsibility that’s shared by family, community and government. 

Carer Gateway is an Australian Government program designed to provide free services and support for carers, including assistance with specific support programs and respite – both planned or emergency.  

CarerHelp provides information and resources for Australians who are caring for a family member or friend who has a serious illness and is at the end of life. 

CareSearch has developed information/resources for patients and carers who are experiencing a need for palliative care. A variety of topics are covered providing information for individuals to make informed decisions. 

Head to Health recommends implementing self-care strategies to help reduce stress when you are feeling overextended and emotionally and physically drained. 

Grief and Bereavement Resources

We have collated a suite of resources to support grief and bereavement that we sincerely hope will assist you.