Sometimes it can be helpful to have some information that can be read later or given to friends and family members. All pages in the For Patients and Families section are print ready. By clicking on the printer icon, the webpage will be formatted for printing.

As well the following resources are available on the web and can be printed off. Think about what resources could help now. Over time as needs change, other printed materials may be helpful. Some of these resources are from other countries. You should always think about how useful the information is to your particular needs.

Advance care planning

• Advance care planning guide (Select State or Territory of interest then download the guide)
  Booklet from Respecting Patients Choices website

Bereavement Grief and Loss

• Now what? Understanding grief
  Booklet from Palliative Care Australia
• Are you needing help after someone has died?
  From CentreLink Summary of relevant services and other useful information
• Bereavement Allowance Payment Rates
  From Centrelink

Carers

• Resources for carers
  A pamphlet from Palliative Care Victoria
• Rights and responsibilities in caring for a family member
  Information sheet for carers from Carers Victoria
• Practical caring: At the end of life
  Fact sheet for carers from CareSearch
• Safety at Home
  Information sheet for carers from the Commonwealth Carer Resource Centre
• Looking after yourself
  A pamphlet from Palliative Care Victoria
• How and why to get family to help with caring
  Information sheet for carers from Carers Victoria
• Taking a break
  Information sheet for carers from the Commonwealth Carer Resource Centre
• Emergency Care Plan
  Information sheet for carers from the Commonwealth Carer Resource Centre
• What to do when someone dies
  A pamphlet from Palliative Care Victoria 

Children and teens

• Grief and Loss
  Parenting SA Guide 
• Grief and Children
  Fact sheet from Better Health Channel
• Questions children may want to ask when someone close to them has died
  Marie Curie Cancer Care (UK)
• Teenage grief: things you may want to know
  Marie Curie Cancer Care (UK)
• Talking to children about death
  National Institutes of Health (US)

Communication (Family and friends)

• What can I say, what can I do
  An information brochure for families and friends from Palliative Care
• Relationships and communication
  From the Better Health Channel
• Talking to children when someone close is very ill
  Marie Curie Cancer Care (UK)

Communication (health team)

• Asking questions can help: An aid for people seeing the palliative care team
  A resource from Palliative care Australia

Complementary Therapies

• Complementary medicines - tell your doctor
  Fact sheet produced by the Better Health Channel
• Complementary and alternative medicine: making informed decisions
  A fact sheet for patients and families from the Cancer Council NSW

Dementia

• Do you take care of someone who has dementia?
  Brochure from the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
• Dementia - how it affects carers
  Fact sheet from the Better Health Channel

Dying

• What to do when someone dies
  A pamphlet from Palliative Care Victoria
• Confusion and terminal restlessness
  A brochure for caregivers from Palliative Care Victoria
• The process of dying
  A brochure for caregivers from Palliative Care Victoria
• When death is approaching
  Web page produced by the American Cancer Society

Feelings and emotions

• Living with Limited Time: Exploring Feelings
  Article from Canadian Virtual Hospice looks at emotions and issues for families
• Feelings
  Information sheet for carers from the Commonwealth Carer Resource Centre

Finances

• Are you ill, injured or do you have a disability?
  From Centrelink
• Caring for Someone: A guide to your options and our services.
  From Centrelink
• Needing help after someone has died?
  From Centrelink
• Managing Money
  Information sheet for carers from the Commonwealth Carer Resource Centre
• Managing money when your partner dies.
  Information sheet available from the Understanding Money website

Funerals

• Funerals
  From the Better Health Channel
• Needing help after someone has died?
  From Centrelink

Indigenous resources

• Let's yarn about Palliative Care - Going Home to Country
  Pamphlet about koori palliative care from Palliative Care Victoria
• What do we tell the children? When someone dies
  Indigenous Substance Misuse Health Promotions Unit
• Coping with sorrow, loss and grief
  Lifeline Information Services

Information Needs

• Why information matters: At the end of life
  Fact sheet for carers from CareSearch

Medicines

• Generic medicines are an equal choice
  Information from the National Prescribing Service
• Patient held medication chart
  Sample chart from Palliative Care Australia
• Understanding side effects of medicines
  Fact sheet from Royal Australian College of General Practitioners

Pain

• Overcoming Cancer Pain - A guide for people with cancer, their families and friends
  Booklet from the Cancer Council of NSW
• Facts about morphine and other opioid medicines in palliative care
  Brochure from Palliative Care Australia
• Pain and pain management 
  A brochure from Palliative Care Victoria
• About pain, About pain medications, Pain and Pain relief
  Factsheets from the Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services
• Sample pain diary  
  From Palliative Care Australia
• Graseby syringe driver patient - caregiver factsheet
  Adapted from information from the Centre for Palliative Care Research and Education

Palliative Care

• What is palliative care?
  An information brochure from Palliative Care Australia
• For patients, carers, family and friends
  Brochure from CareSearch

Palliative care team

• Volunteer support workers
  Social Workers
  Pastoral care
  Grief & Bereavement counsellors
  Leaflets from Palliative care Victoria on specific roles
• Information for consumers on case conferences
  Information from the Australian Government Department of Health & Ageing

Patient Rights

• Patient rights and responsibilities
  An information brochure from Palliative Care Australia
• Australian Charter of Health Care Rights
  Sheet from the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Healthcare

Renal

• Choosing whether to have treatment
  A pamphlet from Kidney Health Australia 
• Withdrawing from dialysis treatment
  A booklet from Renal Resource Centre, NSW

Symptoms other than pain

• Fatigue and exhaustion
  Nausea and vomiting
  Nutrition in palliative care
  Anorexia in advanced illness
  Confusion and terminal restlessness
  Information brochure for carers from Palliative Care Victoria 
• About nausea and vomiting
  Brochure from Palliative Care Queensland
• About breathlessness 
  About constipation 
  About delirium 
  About fatigue
  About laxatives 
  About nausea and vomiting 
  Factsheets from the Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services

Syringe drivers

• Graseby syringe driver patient - caregiver fact sheet
  Adapted from information from the Centre for Palliative Care Research and Education

This page was created on 18 August 2009
Last updated 12 July 2010