A range of services are available to help people throughout the process of dying, and to support their family and friends.
Learn more about:
- Carer services
- Counselling and mentoring
- Funerals
- Future planning
- Grief
- Legal and financial information
- Palliative care
Carer services
- Carer Gateway − Practical information, resources, links to respite care and counselling for carers. Call 1800 422 737.
- CarerHelp − Information for people caring for someone at end of life.
- Young Carers − Support for young people under 25 caring for a family member or friend.
Counselling and mentoring services
- Australian Psychological Society − Use the “Find a Psychologist” search to look for a practitioner in your area.
- Beyond Blue − 24-hour telephone counselling service; online and email counselling available 7 days a week. Call 1300 22 4636.
- Kids Helpline − Telephone and online counselling service and crisis support for young people aged 5-25. Call 1800 55 1800.
- Lifeline − 24-hour telephone crisis support and suicide prevention service. Call 13 11 14.
- Suicide Call Back Service − 24-hour telephone and online counselling for people affected by suicide. Call 1300 699 467.
Funerals
- Australian Funeral Directors Association − Information about planning a funeral. Use the “Find a Funeral Director” search to look for a funeral director in your area. Call (03) 9859 9966.
- Funeral Celebrants Association Australia − Use the “Find a Celebrant” search to look for a funeral celebrant in your area.
- Funeral Directors Australia − Listing of independent funeral directors and information about planning a funeral.
Future planning
- Advance Care Planning Australia − Information about planning for your future health care, including advance care directives.
- Dying to Talk − Palliative Care Australia website encouraging Australians to talk about dying; includes discussion starters.
- The GroundSwell Project − Community organisation promoting resilience and wellbeing throughout all phases of life.
Grief
- Grief Australia − Online telehealth counselling service for people experiencing grief.
- Cancer Council − Information and support for people with cancer and their carers as well as telephone and support groups. Call 13 11 20.
- GriefLine − Telephone and online counselling service and support groups for all Australians who have experienced a loss. Call 1300 845 745.
- GriefLink − Online information for the bereaved and grieving carers, friends and colleagues.
Legal and financial information
- Cancer Council − Referral service for people affected by cancer needing professional advice about legal or financial issues; free for eligible clients. Call 13 11 20.
- Centrelink − Offers financial support for people with a long-term illness and for primary carers. Call 132 717.
- QUT End of Life Law in Australia − Information about the law on end-of-life decision-making and voluntary assisted dying in each state and territory.
- Public Trustees in your state or territory − Public and state trustees can help you prepare a will and manage your finances.
- The social worker on the palliative care team − May be able to help you access legal or financial support.
Palliative, respite and other care
- CareSearch − Australian Government website with palliative care information and links to services for patients and families.
- Healthdirect Australia − Links to respite care at home, in a respite care centre or, in some cases, a hospital or palliative care unit.
- My Aged Care − Information about the different types of aged care and respite services and eligibility. Call 1800 200 422.
- Palliative Care Australia − Information and resources; can link you to your local palliative care office.
More resources
Prof Jane Phillips, Head, School of Nursing and Professor, Centre for Healthcare Transformation, Queensland University of Technology and Emerita Professor Palliative Nursing, University of Technology Sydney, NSW; Prof Meera Agar, Palliative Care Physician, Professor of Palliative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney, IMPACCT, Sydney, NSW; Sandra Anderson, Consumer; A/Prof Megan Best, The University of Notre Dame Australia and The University of Sydney, NSW; Prof Lauren Breen, Psychologist and Discipline Lead, Psychology, Curtin University, WA; David Dawes, Manager, Spiritual Care Department, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Rob Ferguson, Consumer; Gabrielle Gawne-Kelnar, Counsellor, Psychotherapist and Social Worker, One Life Counselling & Psychotherapy, NSW; Justine Hatton, Senior Social Worker, Southern Adelaide Palliative Services, Flinders Medical Centre, SA; Caitlin MacDonagh, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Palliative Care, Royal North Shore Hospital, Northern Sydney Local Health District, NSW; McCabe Centre for Law and Cancer; Palliative Care Australia; Belinda Reinhold, Acting Lead Palliative Care, Cancer Council QLD; Xanthe Sansome, National Program Director, Advance Care Planning Australia; Kirsty Trebilcock, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council SA.
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