Even when you know the end of life is approaching for a family member or friend, you might not feel prepared.
Learn more about:
- Coping as a carer
- Providing practical support
- Providing emotional support
- Providing physical support
- After the death
We cover the practical, emotional and physical issues to expect, and explain how you can provide comfort and support.
Coping as a carer
Looking after a person who is dying can be stressful. It’s common to feel like you don’t know what to do, what to say and how to cope.
If you’ve never been around someone who is dying before, learning what to expect can help you feel less frightened and confused, and allow you to manage the challenges ahead. If you have a complicated relationship with the person, end-of-life caring can be especially difficult.
For more on this, see Caring for someone with cancer or listen to the podcast below.
→ READ MORE: Providing practical support
Podcast: Caring for Someone in Their Last Months
Listen to more episodes of our podcast for people affected by cancer
Fiona Wiseman, Senior Social Worker, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Grace Berwald, Consumer; Peta Brydon, Metastatic McGrath Breast Care Clinical Nurse Consultant, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, NSW; Kate Bunyan, Social Worker, Psychosocial Lead, Cancer and Palliative Supportive Care, Canberra Region Cancer Centre, ACT; Hayden Christie, Medical Oncologist and Clinical Director Cancer Care Service and Clinical Lead of the VAD Service for Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service, QLD; John Clements, Consumer; Claire Davies, Spiritual Care Practitioner, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, VIC; Joanne Dean, Nurse Practitioner, PEACE Team, Clare Holland House, ACT; A/Prof Michael Franco, Medical Oncologist and Palliative Medicine Physician, Deputy Head – Monash Medical School, Monash University, VIC; Dr Sally Greenaway, WSLHD Director of Supportive and Palliative Care, Senior Staff Specialist Clinical Haematology and Clinical Ethics Service, NSW; Maree Grier, Clinical Psychologist, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, QLD; Dr Catherine Joyce, National Manager, Advance Care Planning Australia; Mattesse Kitchin, Consumer; Penny Neller, Project Manager, End of Life Law for Clinicians, Australian Centre for Health Law Research, Queensland University of Technology, QLD; Caitriona Nienaber 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council WA; Palliative Care Australia; A/Prof Joel Rhee, Head of Discipline of General Practice, School of Clinical Medicine, University of New South Wales, NSW.
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