Palliative care supports people living with a life-limiting illness and helps improve quality of life for them and their families.
It can help manage symptoms, provide emotional and practical support, and assist with planning for future care. Palliative care can be provided alongside other medical treatments and is not only for the final stages of life.
The focus is on helping people live as well as possible for as long as possible.
My Care Future helps people plan for end-of-life care and make informed choices about their future health care.
The National Palliative Care Service Directory provides information about specialist palliative care services and providers; services that provide general palliative care such as general practices and allied health; and organisations and community support agencies who provide services to people living with a life-limiting illness and/or their carers.
A local directory of the Palliative Care services within the Western and Far West NSW region is available. To provide feedback on this directory, please email our team.
Dying to Know Days are a community awareness initiative that encourages people to have conversations about death, dying, end-of-life care, grief, and planning ahead.
Alongside other local providers, WNSW PHN hosts Dying to Know Days across the region. See all upcoming events below.
The language used when planning for end of life often includes words you may not be familiar with. Learn what these legal terms mean in plain English.
This booklet provides a list of topics to be considered and tasks to be completed by a person facing the end of their life. It also provides a space to record all of the information that loved ones and executors may need to provide the end of life care, funeral and estate management desired by the person passing.
Note: This is a resource developed for South Australians, any legal or legislative advice may not apply to residents of NSW.
First Nations Communities
The end of life and Journey to Dreaming is culturally significant for Aboriginal people. It is a time when connections with community, Elders and ancestors, family and friends, spirit and Country can become increasingly important.
End of life and palliative care for the Aboriginal community | NSW Health
People with Intellectual Disabilities
Palliative Care NSW’s resources support health professionals, people with intellectual disability and their supporters to make informed decisions and promote more inclusive, accessible, and person-centred end-of-life care.
Improving Palliative Care for People with Intellectual Disability | Palliative Care NSW
Multicultural Communities
When working with a person facing a life-limiting illness, having knowledge of this cultural diversity ensures personalised care can be provided, benefiting both the individuals receiving care and their families.
Cultural attitudes towards palliative care | Palliative Care NSW
Fact sheets in 21 languages are available on the Palliative Care Australia website:
Multilingual Resources | Palliative Care Australia
LGBTQI+ Community
ACON provides resources to encourage people to start conversations about death, dying, and end-of-life wishes early, before decisions need to be made. It provides practical guidance through an LGBTQ+ lens to help people plan for their own future care and support the wishes of loved ones.
Explore the links below to find support and resources for home-based patient care:
Advance care planning is the process of thinking about, discussing, and recording your future health care preferences for a time when you might lose the ability to make or communicate decisions. Explore the links below to find support and resources for advance care planning.
In Australia, dementia is the leading cause of death for women and the second leading cause of death overall. Palliative care plays an important role in supporting people with dementia and those who care for them by addressing physical, emotional, social, cultural and spiritual needs throughout the course of the illness.
We recommend you or your family ask the following 10 questions to find out whether the residential aged care facility can manage your changing needs in the final stage of your life.
10 questions to ask about palliative care in residential aged care
Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) is a legal process that enables an eligible person with a terminal illness to access medical assistance to end their life. VAD is available in New South Wales for people who meet the legislated eligibility requirements.
Learn more about Voluntary assisted dying in NSW
VAD in aged care
Go Gentle Australia have created Know Your Rights, a guide to VAD in Aged Care. This booklet explains your rights and questions to ask your aged care home to find out if they support VAD.
Know Your Rights | Go Gentle Australia
VAD in health care settings
Under NSW VAD legislation, public health facilities must either provide access to VAD services or assist patients to transfer their care if the service is not available on-site. Private and faith-based health facilities may choose not to participate in any aspect of VAD. Individual healthcare professionals also have the right to conscientiously object to involvement in VAD, although they must provide information about available services or refer patients to alternative sources of support.
When someone dies, there can be pressure to make big decisions quickly. This guide provides information to help you make the right decisions for you.
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