Navigating end of life care
Navigating the end of life: Support and resources for families
Preparing for your own death or the death of a loved one is challenging, emotional and often profound. Thankfully, there are many support services and resources available to help you navigate this sensitive time.
In Australia, palliative care services play a pivotal role in providing comprehensive support to individuals nearing the end of life, and to their families. Palliative care focuses on enhancing quality of life by addressing physical symptoms, managing pain, and ensuring everyone receives the emotional and spiritual support they need.
Families can access palliative care services through hospitals, aged care facilities like The Forrest Centre, community health centres, and in-home care providers. These services are typically delivered by multidisciplinary teams of doctors, nurses, social workers, counsellors, and allied health professionals collaborating to meet the unique needs of each person and their family. Further information about palliative care is available online via the Department of Health and Aged Care.
Inpatient palliative care units, or hospices, are available when staying at home is no longer an option. Hospice care emphasises comfort, dignity, and personalised care. Some hospices may be a small number of rooms within a hospital and other units might be part of a residential aged care facility, like The Forrest Centre Hospice located on-site at our Mary Potter Nursing Home.
Advance care planning is another important aspect of end of life preparation. Resources to help you and your loved ones to understand what’s involved and create your own plans are available online at Advance Care Planning Australia. These plans involve discussing and documenting preferences for medical treatment and end-of-life care to ensure your wishes are respected. Advance care planning allows you to make informed decisions about your own or your loved one's care and helps alleviate uncertainty and stress during challenging times.
Tapping into community resources and peer support networks is also beneficial. Organisations such as Palliative Care Australia and Cancer Council Australia provide valuable information and even counselling services to people facing end-of-life issues.
While it’s not always a popular conversation, preparing for death is important and can be empowering. Being proactive will help to manage the complexities and emotions involved, and resources and support services are available to help you navigate the end of life with confidence, comfort and peace of mind.
At The Forrest Centre, we’re always ready to have these important conversations and to help you through the journey. To read more about The Forrest Centre's approach to end-of-life care, visit: https://forrestcentre.com.au/the-forrest-centre-hospice