Palliative Care helps people living with a life limiting illness enjoy a good quality of life.
A life limiting illness is one that you are likely to die from in the future, as there is little or no prospects of a cure. Palliative care can help you live an active life for many years.
Palliative Care is for people of all ages. You can receive care in a hospital, residential aged care facility or at home. Depending on your needs, you can go in and out of care whenever you need support. You can manage your symptoms and meet your physical, emotional, spiritual and psychological needs through Palliative Care. Services can include managing medications, allied health like physiotherapy, and counselling services for you and your family/carers.
At Silverchain, we believe everyone deserves the right to choose where they receive their care. But while nearly 70% of Australians would prefer to die at home, only 15% are able to do so. For over 40 years, we have provided in home Palliative Care for people with life limiting illnesses. Our services are available across all states including Australian Capital Territory, excluding Northern Territory.
We also provide End of Life Care for older Australians as part of our Support at Home services. Whatever your needs, our expert care team will work with you to provide compassionate, sensitive, and culturally appropriate care.
End of Life Care
End of Life Care is the last stage of Palliative Care. It supports you as you get closer to the end of your life by ensuring you are comfortable. This can include support with pain management.
Silverchain provides End of Life Care across all states including ACT (excluding NT). This is available through state funded programs, the funded aged care program Support at Home, as well as privately.
The difference between Palliative and End of Life care
Palliative Care is suitable if you receive a life limiting diagnosis, including advice on how long you have to live. The length of time varies for everyone but is generally longer than End of Life Care and can be for several years.
Palliative Care helps you manage your symptoms, so you can enjoy a good quality of life. Our Palliative Care services include End of Life Care. This can include supporting families after their loved one has passed away. We offer these services across all states including ACT (excluding NT).
The length of End of Life Care
The End of Life Care you receive is based on your individual situation and needs. This means you could receive End of Life Care for days, months, or up to a year.
Advanced Care Directive or End of Life Plan
An Advanced Care Directive (also called a living Will) is a care plan that includes your health and personal preferences if you can no longer communicate this yourself.
This is an important part of End of Life Care and is designed to help your health professionals and family make decisions for you if you can’t. Your Advanced Care Directive appoints someone as a substitute decision maker to make choices for you when the time comes.
As part of Silverchain’s Palliative and End of Life services, we support clients and their families to think about advanced care planning. We can also help you develop an Advanced Care Directive.
The impact of receiving palliative care
Receiving Palliative Care does not mean you will die soon. It means you have a life limiting illness, and can receive care at any stage during your illness, which can be for several years.
Free palliative care in Australia
Most palliative care services are free for our clients with a GP referral. It’s also available through private care (as a fee for service).
Silverchain provides government funded and private in home palliative care services across all states including ACT (excluding NT).
More information
Get more information on Silverchain's in home Palliative Care services by clicking here.
