The diagnosis of a life-limiting illness for either yourself or a loved one can be an overwhelming experience. We have developed specific handbooks as part of our End of Life and Palliative Care Program to assist you and your loved ones in accessing the support needed from diagnosis through to the end-of-life period and beyond.
Palliative Care Community Handbook
Following the diagnosis of a life-limiting illness, seeking available support for yourself, your loved ones, and your carers may feel overwhelming. The Western Sydney Palliative Care Community Handbook aims to assist you in accessing the help you need from the time of diagnosis through to the end-of-life period. The Handbook details many services available in Western Sydney but is not an exhaustive index. The development of this handbook is informed by the work undertaken by Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (PHN) and South Western Sydney PHN.
Palliative Care in Residential Aged Care Handbook
Following a loved one receiving a diagnosis of a life-limiting illness, it may feel overwhelming to seek out support. The information included in this handbook will enable you to make informed decisions, assist you with important conversations and access to services you need in a timely manner. The development of this directory was informed by the work undertaken by Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network, South Western Sydney Primary Health Network, Palliative Care Australia, palliAGED, and CareSearch.
Additional Resources: Brochures, Podcasts, TED Talks and Videos
How well do you know your partner? We put couples to the test. You know their favourite food. You’re pretty sure about their bucket list holiday destination. But are you prepared for life’s toughest decisions? Watch the video.
Aboriginal Community Support Worker, Chris Thorne, talks about the importance of writing down an advance care plan so people will know your wishes if you become seriously ill or injured and cannot speak for yourself. Watch the video.
If you got really sick, and you couldn’t speak for yourself, would your family and doctor (or Aboriginal Health Worker) know what you want or don’t want with your health care? Respectful and approachable resources are available via Advance Care Planning for First Nations People.
You can access an Advance Care Directive form and information guide from NSW Health.
Thursdays@3 is a podcast and video series from Palliative Care Australia, featuring discussions with experts from the field and people living and working at the end-of-life. With over 40 years of experience in nursing, Rose Sexton has seen a thing or two. Her passion for palliative and end-of-life care emerged early, with an active interest in Oncology nursing. Alongside these health-related passions, she is, at heart, a musician and actress. Rose also had personal experience caring for her husband through his end-of-life journey in 2019. Listen to the podcast.
In this deeply moving TED Talk, Lucy Kalanithi reflects on life and purpose, sharing the story of her late husband, Paul, a young neurosurgeon who turned to writing after his terminal cancer diagnosis. “Engaging in the full range of experience – living and dying, love and loss – is what we get to do,” Kalanithi says. “Being human doesn’t happen despite suffering; it happens within it.”
We can’t control if we’ll die, but we can “occupy death,” in the words of emergency doctor, Peter Saul. In this TED Talk, Peter asks us to think about the end of our lives and to question the modern model of slow, intubated death in a hospital. Two big questions can help you start this tough conversation.
The Aboriginal Health and Medical Research Council of NSW has created a toolkit to guide First Nations people through end-of-life care.
The Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation’s, Understanding the Palliative Care Journey: A guide for individuals, carers, communities and family provides information to aid in understanding what a palliative care journey may hold for First Nations people across Australia.
Healthy Western Sydney
Healthy Western Sydney is a free service directory for community members and health professionals in Western Sydney offering information on palliative care, aged care and dementia services in Western Sydney.
Visit Healthy Western Sydney to access free health services.