Living well, living longer
Palliative care is a recognised field of medicine geared toward helping people live as fully and as comfortably as possible with a life-limiting illness. Palliative care is intended for people of any age and can be provided alongside other cancer treatments or in a range of settings – at home, in hospital, within a palliative care unit or hospice or at a residential aged care facility – around-the-clock if necessary. Palliative care does not mean end-of-life care; you may be referred to and discharged from palliative care support a number of times during your cancer journey.
This is in part because of the specialist training that palliative care doctors and nurses have in treating pain and other symptoms, such as vomiting or shortness of breath associated with cancer or its treatment. Emotional, spiritual and social needs, counselling and respite care are also important parts of palliative care.
Palliative care doctors and nurses are specialists in treating pain and other symptoms, such as vomiting or shortness of breath associated with cancer or its treatment. Emotional, spiritual and social needs, counselling and respite care are also important parts of palliative care. Palliative care can be given alongside other cancer treatments, and provided at home, in a hospital, hospice (palliative care unit) or residential aged care facility.
Early palliative care intervention can support you to live well while managing your illness. The earlier you can access palliative care after a diagnosis of non-curable cancer, the better the support services can be set up for you, your carer(s) and family members.
I am sorry I didn’t know earlier how Palliative Care could have helped our family as dad was getting more unwell. I did not understand that this care was available alongside his other treatments. This care was amazing and the follow up for the family continued even after he passed away.
Irene, carer of father, who was living with pancreatic cancer.
Learn more:
> Bilingual brochures and videos About Palliative Care are available in 19 languages from Palliative Care Victoria.
Please note: If you are looking for additional palliative care information online, please note that it is called Supportive Care in America and the United Kingdom.
Advanced stage cancer palliative care
Learn more:
> Advanced stage cancer palliative care.
Speak to our Specialist Support Team for Practical Support.
Specialist Support Team 1300 881 698
