Navigating palliative care in Australia

Palliative care is specialised support for people living with a serious, life-limiting illness — and for the families who love them. It is one of the most misunderstood parts of the health system, partly because people associate it only with the final days of life. But palliative care can and should begin much earlier, alongside curative treatment if that's the right approach, long before someone is close to dying.

What palliative care is — and isn't

Palliative care is about quality of life. It focuses on managing pain and other symptoms, supporting emotional and psychological wellbeing, and helping people live as fully as possible with a serious illness. It is not the same as "giving up" — people can receive palliative care while still pursuing treatment for their condition.

What palliative care is not:

• It is not only for the last few days of life — it can begin at diagnosis of a serious illness
• It is not euthanasia or voluntary assisted dying — these are separate and distinct
• It is not about giving up on treatment — it can run alongside curative care
• It is not only available in hospitals — most palliative care happens at home

Accessing palliative care through My Aged Care

For older Australians, palliative care can be accessed through the aged care system. Support at Home (the home care program) can fund palliative care services at home — including nursing, personal care, allied health, and equipment. To access this through the aged care system:

1. Register with My Aged Care — call 1800 200 422 or visit myagedcare.gov.au ↗
2. Request an urgent ACAT assessment — mention that palliative care is needed. Assessments can be fast-tracked in urgent situations
3. Ask your GP or hospital team to support an urgent referral

Palliative care can also be accessed directly through the health system via your GP, specialist, or hospital palliative care team — independently of the aged care pathway. Many hospitals have dedicated palliative care consultants and teams.

The national resource Palliative Care Australia can help locate services: palliativecare.org.au ↗

Home vs inpatient palliative care

Most people, when asked, say they would prefer to die at home. Whether this is achievable depends on the level of care needed, the availability of family or carer support, and access to community palliative care services.

Palliative care at home is possible with appropriate support — community nurses, palliative care specialists, equipment, medications, and carer support. It requires planning and coordination, ideally started well before a crisis. Not all communities have equal access to home palliative care services.

Inpatient palliative care is provided in hospitals, dedicated palliative care units, or hospices. This is appropriate when symptom management becomes too complex for home, when carer capacity is exhausted, or when the person or family prefers it. Palliative care units are different from general hospital wards — they are designed specifically for comfort, family involvement, and dignity.

What to organise — practical checklist

• Advance Care Directive — record wishes for treatment, comfort measures, and what is not wanted. A palliative care team will ask for this. Guide: Advance Care Directives →
• Power of Attorney — ensure financial and medical POA are in place and known to the treating team. Guide: Power of Attorney →
• Will and legal documents — ensure the will is current, signed, witnessed, and its location is known to the executor
• Notify My Aged Care — if accessing palliative care through the aged care system, ensure the support package reflects current needs
• Medication plan with GP — establish a clear pain and symptom management plan, including medications at home for comfort in the final days
• Carer support — contact Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737 for respite, counselling, and practical support for the person providing care

Supporting someone — practical and emotional

Being present for someone in the palliative phase is one of the most profound and difficult things a person can do. A few things that matter:

• Ask what they need, don't assume. Some people want to talk about what's happening; others want normalcy and distraction. Follow their lead.
• Practical help is meaningful. Cooking, driving, managing phone calls, handling paperwork — these concrete acts of care often matter more than words.
• Silence is okay. Sitting with someone without needing to fill the silence is a gift. You do not need to have the right thing to say.
• Look after yourself too. Compassion fatigue and carer burnout are real. Access carer support — it exists for exactly this situation.

Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD)

Voluntary Assisted Dying is legal in all Australian states and territories as of 2023. It is a separate, distinct process from palliative care — a person must meet specific eligibility criteria (including having a terminal illness expected to cause death within a defined timeframe) and go through a formal assessment process. Palliative care is not VAD, and accessing palliative care does not put someone on a pathway to VAD.

For factual information about VAD eligibility and process in each state, contact your treating medical team or visit your state health department's VAD information page.

Bereavement support resources

Grief does not end when someone dies — it often intensifies in the weeks and months that follow. Free support is available:

• Grief Australia — grief.org.au ↗ — counselling and support groups
• Beyond Blue — 1300 22 4636 — mental health support including grief
• Lifeline — 13 11 14 — 24/7 crisis support
• Palliative Care Australia — many palliative care services offer bereavement follow-up for families — ask the palliative care team what is available
• Carer Gateway — 1800 422 737 — counselling available for former carers after bereavement