Palliative Care

South Gippsland Palliative Care is funded by the Department of Human Services to provide best practice Palliative Care services to the South Gippsland community free of charge.

 

What is Palliative Care?

Palliative Care provides ongoing care for a person living with a progressive life threatening illness and their family and friends. It incorporates physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual and social care, whilst being mindful of the cultural, social and financial influences on each individual person.

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Aims of Palliative Care

• To empower and support the patient and family by providing relevant information and by involving them in all decision making in regard to care. This includes the site of care, whether it be at home, in an acute hospital or in residential aged care.

• To improve the quality of life of the patient by ensuring that they maintain their dignity and autonomy.

• To relieve pain and symptoms by accurate assessment and management by a team of health professionals.

• To assist patients and families to come to terms with the illness by supporting them to express their feelings, grieve their losses and address their concerns.

• To not hasten death nor prolong life inappropriately.

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Palliative Care Team

We are a team who have different professional backgrounds, but who work together in order to provide care for the “whole” person, including their family and friends. In addition to the “core” Palliative Care team, we access other support services provided by both private and public institutions when required to cater for the specific needs of each individual.  

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Other Services Offered

• Education 
  Individual and community education is provided by the members of the team in a range of forms, tailored to the needs of those requesting the service.

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• Equipment
  Access to equipment for use in the home is available for clients on the Palliative Care program.

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• Other

Liaison between other care providers (eg. Metropolitan hospitals, chemotherapy units, home help etc) and coordination of these services to best meet the needs of the clients.

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Consultation with our Social Workers about how to best manage any change in your financial circumstances eg. Centrelink or other assistance.

 

Please contact the Program Coordinator/Nurse Consultant for further information, on the office number listed above.

 

Bereavement Care

Bereavement care is provided to help the client and family to come to terms with their experiences of loss. This is an ongoing service, which continues to provide support after the death of a client, to all significant family and friends.

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Resources

 

Palliative Care Program Coordinator/Nurse Consultant

Phone: 03 5667 5661

Fax: 03 5667 5535

Email: southgippslandpalliativecare@gshs.com.au

 

District Nursing Services

Gippsland Southern Health Service, Korumburra & Leongatha

Phone: 03 5654 2722

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South Gippsland Hospital, Foster

Phone: 03 5683 9774

 

Social Workers

Phone: 03 5667 5522

 

Doctors' Clinics

Leongatha Healthcare – Phone 03 5662 2201

Long Street Family Medicine - Phone 5662 4455

Korumburra Medical Centre – Phone 03 5655 1355

Foster Medical Centre – Phone 03 5682 2088

Mirboo North Medical Centre – Phone 03 5668 1234

 

Hospitals

Gippsland Southern Health Service, Leongatha and Korumburra

Phone: 03 5667 5555

Email: southgippslandpalliativecare@gshs.com.au

 

South Gippsland Hospital, Foster

Phone: 03 5683 9777

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Helpful Websites

Palliative Care Victoria – 03 9662 9644

Palliative Care Australia – 02 6232 4433

National Association for Loss and Grief – 03 9331 3555

Grief Line – 03 9596 7799

Anti Cancer Council – 131 120

Caresearch