National Palliative Care Week 2008 – $6.5 m to improve palliative support

Minister for Ageing Justine Elliot has announced extra Federal Government funding of over $3.5 million for the next three years to fund the Palliative Care for People Living at Home initiative.

Mrs Elliot said this project would investigate new ways to allow people requiring palliative care to remain in their homes with their carers.

“This new initiative will look at ways to improve and bring together existing clinical and nursing services, in-home support, in-house respite and training of carers.” 

Mrs Elliot also launched an innovative website – CareSearch – that gives people with a terminal illness, their families and carers 24-hour access to practical information, support and advice.

The CareSearch website includes information for the terminally ill, carers and families, as well as health professionals and researchers.

The site also contains links to other resources and covers sensitive issues – such as what to say to someone who has found out they are dying, and what to do after a death.

“The theme for the National Palliative Care Week is ‘A Matter of Life and Death’ because palliative care is as much about life as it is about death. It is about the quality of life of those in palliative care and the lives of those caring for them,” Mrs Elliot said.