Finding end-of-life support and information
Listed below are a range of services that can help people throughout the process of dying and provide support to their family and friends.
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
- Cancer Council’s Peer Support Programs − People affected by cancer who you can connect with online, by phone or in person.
- beyondblue − 24-hour telephone counselling service; online and email counselling available 7 days a week.
- Kids Helpline − Telephone and online counselling service and crisis support for young people aged 5–25.
- Lifeline − 24-hour telephone crisis support and suicide prevention service.
- MensLine Australia − Telephone and online support and referral service for men with family and relationship concerns.
Funerals
- Australian Funeral Directors Association − Listing of funeral directors and information about prepaying or planning a funeral.
- Funeral Directors Australia − Listing of independent funeral directors and information about planning a funeral.
- Funeral Celebrants Association Australia − Directory for finding a funeral celebrant in your local area.
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
- Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement − Online information for people experiencing grief.
- GriefLink − Online information for the bereaved and grieving, their carers, friends and colleagues.
- GriefLine − Community and family services to support all Australians who have experienced a loss.
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
- Telephone support groups through Cancer Council − Includes groups for people with advanced cancer, for carers, and for the bereaved.
- Cancer Council Online Community − An online discussion forum where people can connect with each other at any time, ask or answer questions, or write a blog of their experiences.
This information was last reviewed in January 2017
Support services
Coping with cancer?
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Cancer Council Online Community
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Cancer information
Advanced cancer
Information for all stages of advanced cancer, from the initial diagnosis to palliative care and grief
Information for carers
Information for family and friends providing care to someone at any stage of cancer
