Finding end-of-life support and information

Glossary

Listed below are a range of services that can help people throughout the process of dying and provide support to their family and friends.

Learn more about:

Carer services

  • Carers Australia − National body working with state and territory carers associations to provide information and counselling for carers.
  • Carer Gateway − Practical information and resources for carers, and links to support services in your local area.
  • Young Carers − Support and information for young people who are caring for a family member who is ill.

Counselling and mentoring

Funerals

Future planning

  • Advance Care Planning − Information about planning for your future health care, including advance directives.
  • Dying to Talk − Palliative Care Australia website encouraging Australians to talk about dying; includes a discussion starter.
  • The GroundSwell Project − Community organisation using creativity to promote resilience and wellbeing throughout all phases of life.

Grief

Practical assistance

  • Home help and transport − Contact Cancer Council 13 11 20 to find out if you can get help with housework, meals or transport. Your local council or your palliative care team may also be able to link you with this type of practical support.
  • Independent Living Centres Australia − Advice on a range of products and services to help with aspects of day-to-day living.
  • Home nursing − Some home nursing can be organised as part of your palliative care; private services are also available – check if your private health fund covers them.

Legal and financial information

  • Cancer Council Legal and Financial Referral Service − Can connect you with a lawyer or financial adviser if you need professional advice about legal or financial issues; free assistance for eligible clients.
  • End of Life Law in Australia − Information from the Australian Centre for Health Law Research to help you understand the law relating to advance directives, stopping treatment, palliative care, and euthanasia.
  • Centrelink − Offers financial support for people with a long-term illness and for primary carers.
  • National Debt Helpline − Not-for-profit service that outlines how to tackle debt problems and explains how to find a financial counsellor for free, independent advice.
  • Public Trustees Australia − Gateway for all public and state trustees in Australia, who can help you prepare a will and manage your finances.
  • Talk to the social worker on the palliative care team − The social worker may be able to help you access legal or financial support.

Palliative care

  • Palliative Care Australia − Provides information and resources and can link you to your local palliative care office.
  • CareSearch − Australian Government website that provides palliative care information and links to services for patients and families, as well as resources for health professionals.

Spiritual care (pastoral care)

  • Contact your hospital − Many hospitals have a spiritual care practitioner (pastoral carer) who can talk to you about practical and spiritual concerns (from all religious and nonreligious viewpoints).

Support groups

Click on the icon below to download a PDF booklet on facing end of life.

    Facing End of Life

  • 1 MB

Printed copies are available for free - Call 13 11 20 to order

Instructions for downloading and reading EPUB files

Apple devices

The iBooks application must be installed on your Apple device before you can read the EPUB.
Different ways to download an EPUB file to your Apple device:

  • email EPUB files to yourself and transfer the attachment to iBooks.
  • copy EPUB files into DropBox (or a similar service) and use the DropBox app to send them to iBooks.
  • open EPUB files directly from Mobile Safari and open them in iBooks, where they are saved automatically by downloading the EPUB from the website.

Need more help? Visit: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4059

Kobo

To download an EPUB file to your Kobo from a Windows computer:

  • download and save the EPUB directly onto your desktop.
  • connect your Kobo to your computer using the USB cable and tap “Connect” on your eReader.
  • select “Open folder to view files” to view the contents of your Kobo.
  • navigate to where you have stored your EPUB file in “Finder”, in documents or downloads, and drag and drop it into the Kobo window. You can now disconnect your Kobo to read the eBook.

To download an EPUB to your Kobo from a Mac:

  • download and save the EPUB directly onto your desktop.
  • connect your Kobo to your computer using the USB cable and tap “Connect” on your eReader.
  • open your “Finder” application.
  • select “Kobo eReader” from the listed devices to view the contents of your Kobo.
  • navigate to where you have stored your EPUB file in “Finder”, probably in documents or downloads, and drag and drop it into the Kobo window. You can now disconnect your Kobo to read the eBook.

Turn on your Kobo and your EPUB will be located in “eBooks”, while a PDF will be located in “Documents”.
Need more information? Visit: http://www.kobo.com/help/koboaura/response/?id=3784&type=3

Sony Reader

To download an EPUB file on your Sony Reader™:

  • ensure you have already installed the Reader™ Library for PC/Mac software
  • select the eBook you want from our website and click the link to download it.
  • connect the Reader™ to your computer.
  • open the Reader™ Library software and click “Library” in the left-hand pane and select the eBook to view it.

Need more help? Visit: https://au.readerstore.sony.com/apps_and_devices/

Amazon Kindle 2nd Generation devices

EPUB files can’t be read on the Amazon Kindle™. However, like most eReaders, Kindle™ 2nd Generation devices are able to display PDFs. We recommend that you download the PDF version of this booklet if you would like to read it on a Kindle™.
To transfer a PDF to your Kindle™ via USB cable from your computer or Mac:

  • download the PDF directly onto your computer.
  • connect the USB cable to your computer’s USB port, and the micro USB end of the cable to your Kindle™. Note: the Kindle™ won’t be available as a reading device while it is connected to your computer until it has been disconnected.
  • open the Kindle™ drive and several folders will appear inside. The “Documents” folder is where you will need to copy or drag the PDF to.
  • safely eject your Kindle™ from your computer and unplug the USB cable. Your content will appear on the Home Screen.

Kindle also provides a Kindle Personal Documents Service that allows users to send documents as an attachment directly to your eReader. For more information on this service, visit http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=help_search_1-1?ie=UTF8&nodeId=200767340&qid=1395967989&sr=1-1
For more information on accessing a PDF on your Kindle™, visit www.amazon.com/manageyourkindle, log in to your account and click on Personal Document Settings.
Need more help? Visit https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=200375630

Android and PC

You can also download and open eBooks on Android devices and PCs with appropriate apps or software installed. Suitable eReader apps for Android include Google Play Books, FBReader and Moon+ Reader. Suitable software for PCs include Calibre and Adobe Digital Editions.

This information was last reviewed in January 2017
View who reviewed this content
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