Palliative care is the specialised medical treatment, care and support, offered to a person and their loved ones, who are living or affected by a life-limiting illness. It provides holistic care and is designed for people living with any kind of diagnosis. It focuses on improving quality of life by managing pain and other symptoms, while also providing emotional and practical support, alongside other carers. In Queensland, there are many services available to help patients, and their families, carers and loved ones. The aim is to support you and your network to navigate end-of-life planning and care with dignity and comfort.
PalAssist is funded by Queensland Health and delivered by the Cancer Council Queensland. It offers free information and support for anyone living with or affected by any kind of life-limiting illness. You can contact PalAssist on 1800 772 273, or access our online webchat or email, with any questions you may have. You can also access our Services Directory to find palliative care supports related to your unique needs or location. Our compassionate and professional help is available to guide you through this challenging time.
What is palliative care?
Palliative care can help you, at any age or at any stage, if you have been diagnosed with an illness that cannot be cured. Palliative care aims to support you to live as well as possible, for as long as possible. It is not just for the final days or weeks of life. Ideally, palliative care should be introduced at the time of diagnosis and can run alongside other standard treatments. In some cases, patients may be known to palliative care services for years.
Palliative care can be provided at home, by hospitals, within hospices, or atresidential aged care facilities. A wide team of health professionals, including doctors, nurses, allied health, social workers, or counsellors, may be involved in your care. Other team members may also be involved, such as Indigenous Liaison Officers, pastoral or spiritual leaders, personal carers, and volunteers. Ongoing collaboration with your specialist and/or GP is also usually sought. Importantly, palliative care also supports families and carers, including after bereavement.
How to access palliative care in Queensland
Accessing palliative care in Queensland starts by speaking with your GP or specialist, such as your cardiologist, respiratory physician, or oncologist. Depending on your needs, palliative care can sometimes be undertaken by the GP. If there are complex medical, emotional, or social needs, they can provide a referral to a local Specialist Palliative Care Service. Palliative care may be provided through the public health system or through private providers in this case.
If you are unsure where to begin or how to approach the conversation, PalAssist is available 7 days a week to answer any questions you may have. Specially trained health care professionals can provide navigation, information and support to help you chat with your doctor or connect with services near you.
Advance care planning
Advance care planning is an important part of palliative care. It helps you to make decisions about your future health care in case you are unable to communicate your preferences later for any reason. In Queensland, this may involve completing an Advance Health Directive (AHD)or appointing an Enduring Power of Attorney (EPoA) for financial and/or personal (including health) matters.
You can view and download the most up-to-date forms online, including their explanatory guides. For more information, and to find the forms, see the Queensland Government’s Advance care planning webpage.
PalAssist can advise around who may be able to help with specific questions on advance care planning, including what to do with completed forms to ensure they are available when needed.
Managing pain and symptoms
Managing pain and symptom control is central to palliative care. Specialist teams may provide medicinesor supportive therapies to ease pain, breathlessness, fatigue, nausea, or anxiety, if they arise.
If you are experiencing any new or troubling symptoms, speak to your doctor or nurse, or contact PalAssist for support. Depending on the nature of your symptom and illness, management may include assessment for medical, non-medical or even practical equipment, to help maintain your safety and quality of life. You may also find some help in our PalAssist Guides and Factsheets.
Support for carers
Carers play a vital role in palliative care. Carers take many forms, and caring is not always performed by being there in-person or at the bedside. If you are a carer, there are services to help you with your own wellbeing, including respite care, counselling, and financial assistance. There are various groups and professional services that offer practical and emotional support, to help you maintain your caring role.
The PalAssist Services Directory includes carer support and counselling services throughout Queensland. Our helpline is available if you need advice or just someone to listen. Call us on 1800 772 273, between 7am and 7pm, 7 days a week.
Coping with grief and bereavement
Grief is a natural response to losing someone or something that you love. Support may be found in many forms and direct help is available through specialised services, such as GriefLine. PalAssist is also able to refer to our Nurse Counselling service, for short term support around grief and bereavement.
Financial and legal support
Life-limiting illness, and its treatments, may bring about many financial and legal challenges. Death of a loved one may also mean losing financial security and stability. You may be eligible for financial assistance or subsidies, such as from Services Australia, depending on your situation.
Various other agencies provide services to support legal and financial needs at this time. PalAssist are there to help navigate around your individual needs, including community legal centres and financial counselling services in Queensland.
Children and young people
Children and young people may be patients themselves or coping with a loved one’s illness. Specialist services such as Humming bird House, Queensland’s only children’s hospice, provide paediatric palliative care and family support.
Young people who are carers can access resources through the Young Carers Network, which offers support and educational assistance. For dedicated counselling, young people can contact Head space or Kids Helpline. Cancer Hub also helps families, with children under 25 years, who are impacted by cancer, through practical and emotional supports. Canteen also helps young people impacted by cancer themselves or by people they love.
Palliative care in Queensland is about ensuring quality of life, respect, and dignity. Whether you need information on palliative care services, help with advance care planning, or support through grief, PalAssist is here to help. Our specialised health professionals can listen, guide, and support you to access the right care, ensuring that no one must face this journey alone.
