Living With Advanced Cancer

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Living with Advanced Cancer: seeking support

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A-Z of practical and support services

Accommodation
Cancer patients and carers who travel a long way for treatment can often get accommodation at or near the treatment centre. Facilities may be self-contained or shared, and the cost is sometimes subsidised.
Isolated Patients' Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (IPTAAS) - costs may be subsidised if you travel more than 100 km one way for your treatment.
  • 1800 800 511
Can Assist - provides accommodation and financial assistance for some patients living in rural NSW.

Counselling and mentoring services
LifeCircle ­ ­- provides mentoring for those providing end-of-life care for someone at home.
National Carer Counselling Program ­ ­ ­(NCCP) - offers short-term counselling for carers.

Equipment and aids
Program of Appliances for Disabled People (PADP) - provides equipment in certain circumstances.
  • Check with the social worker or PADP Coordinator at your public hospital or local community health centre.
Independent Living Centre - offers advice about a range of products to help with aspects of day-to-day living, including mobility, sleeping, eating and transport.

Financial Assistance
Centrelink - offers financial support for people with a long-term illness and for primary carers.
Cancer Council assistance - free legal advice on wills, advance care directives and enduring guardianship; subsidised counselling; and one-off financial help for those facing hardship. For more information, talk to your social worker or the Cancer Council Helpline.
  • Talk to your social worker.
  • Cancer Council Helpline - 13 11 20

Funerals
The Australian Funeral Directors Association can provide a listing of funeral directors and estimates of funeral costs. It also has information on pre-paying for a funeral or planning a funeral.

Home help
Support is available for people being cared for at home and their carers. Services vary from area to area. Some local councils provide a range of community and in-home services, such as Meals on Wheels or respite care. If you have a palliative care team, they can organise home help for you.
  • Call your local council.
  • Speak to your palliative care team.
Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres - these are a one-stop shop for accessing free, confidential information about services that will help with your care and let you live independently for as long as possible.

Home nursing
Free home nursing can be organised as part of your palliative care. Private services are also available. If you have private health insurance, your policy may cover home nursing.
  • Talk to your palliative care team and/or your private health fund.
  • Cancer Council Helpline - 13 11 20.

Legal advice and information
A solicitor is the best person to ask about any legal matters. If you do not have a solicitor, contact Law Access NSW, which is a free government telephone service that provides legal information, advice and referrals.
The NSW Trust and Guardian can also provide information and advice about wills, powers of attorney and trusts.
  • (02) 9252 0523
    www.tag.nsw.gov.au

Palliative care
Palliative Care NSW provides information about palliative care services and facilities.

Pastoral care
Most large hospitals have a pastoral worker who can talk to you about practical and spiritual concerns (from all religious and non-religious viewpoints).
  • Contact your hospital.

Respite care
Respite care is when a patient is looked after by someone other than their usual carer. This gives their regular carer a break and time to attend to their own medical or personal needs. Respite care can be for a few hours, overnight, or for blocks of time. Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres can organise respite care for you.

Social worker
The hospital social worker offers a range of services for you and your family, such as counselling and debriefing, and helping you to find solutions to practical, financial or family problems. They can provide a link between you and the hospital system, and they can help if you have any problems at the hospital.
  • Contact your hospital or local community health centre.

Support groups
Many people find joining a support group helpful. Support groups allow people with cancer to talk about their experiences, hopes and fears in a non-judgmental, caring environment.
  • Cancer Council Helpline - 13 11 20
  • Contact your hospital social worker to see if they run any support groups.
Face-to-face groups - People talk of the strength they have found in sharing feelings and facing reality, as well as the laughter that's a part of any group. Meeting with others who understand what it is like to have cancer can be helpful. You may be reluctant to share your story or listen to other people's, but most people find that they benefit from the close bonds with the other members.
Telephone support groups - If getting together with others in person isn't possible, you can join a telephone support group run by Cancer Council. There are groups for advanced cancer, carers and different cancer types.
Online discussion forums - People can connect with each other at any time, ask or answer questions or write a blog of their experiences.

Understanding Cancer program
If you want to find out more about cancer and how to cope with it, you may find Cancer Council's Understanding Cancer program helpful. It offers practical information and discussions about many issues people experience after diagnosis. Programs are held frequently at hospitals and community organisations throughout NSW.