What about Home Based Palliative Care?

Clare Holland House also offer home based palliative care. The Home Based Palliative Care team can provide you with 24 hour palliative care advice support and visits at home. The team includes nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, volunteers and pastoral carers. They work in partnership with the patient, their family and your GP to meet your needs. Your GP may also involve a palliative care physician. The care needs of you and your family are the focus of the Home Based Palliative Care team.

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What about Palliative Care in Hospital?

Palliative care is available in all hospitals in the ACT. The Canberra Hospital has a specialist palliative care nurse who may be contacted via referral from any Canberra Hospital ward. The palliative care nurse provides advice and support, and serves as a link to the palliative care network of services in the ACT. Specialists at any hospital may ask a palliative care physician to advise on your palliative care needs during your stay in hospital.

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What about Palliative Care in an Aged Care Facility?

Aged care facilities in the ACT provide palliative care to residents and link into the ACT palliative care network of services as or when required.

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What about Palliatiave Care for Children?

Palliative care for children represents a special, albeit closely related field to adult palliative care. WHO’s definition of palliative care appropriate for children and their families is as follows; the principles apply to other paediatric chronic disorders (WHO; 1998a):

• Palliative care for children is the active total care of the child’s body, mind and spirit, and also involves giving support to the family.

• It begins when illness is diagnosed, and continues regardless of whether or not a child receives treatment directed at the disease.

• Health providers must evaluate and alleviate a child’s physical, psychological, and social distress.

• Effective palliative care requires a broad multidisciplinary approach that includes the family and makes use of available community resources; it can be successfully implemented even if resources are limited.

• It can be provided in tertiary care facilities, in community health centres and even in children’s homes.

A child’s treating paediatric team usually manages that child’s palliative care in the ACT. The palliative care team is always available for support.

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What does Palliative Care Cost?

The Home Based Palliative Care Service is provided at no cost to you. You may use your Medicare card or private insurance for in-patient palliative care services. In relevant cases, the Department of Veterans Affairs may assist with palliative care costs.

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