Issues for those with a mental illness
It is important that people who have a mental illness and who find that they have a life limiting illness are able to access the help they need. There are many services that can help if someone has had a mental illness history, or if they are caring for someone with a mental illness. Mental Health and Palliative Care Services can work together to best meet the needs of people requiring palliative care and their families.
There may be concerns that people with a mental illness will not cope with making difficult decisions in relation to end-of-life care. This may be true sometimes, but should be approached on an individual basis. Family members may also require help at this time.
There are many decisions that will need to be made and some of those decisions can be difficult. It can be difficult for both the person needing to access services and those providing the caring roles.
Getting Help
- Do you need Help Now?
- It may be helpful to speak with your doctor in the first instance or primary mental health care provider about the issues that arise from end-of-life care. The person seeking palliative care and their carers will often need more support from family, friends and healthcare providers. Seeking support is a key factor in decreasing distress and ensuring that the well-being of all concerned. Sometimes families seek extra support from specialised support groups or counselors in addition to the more traditional medical appointments.
- Find further information 'About Palliative care' in this section.
- To find a palliative care service near to you, go to the Palliative Care Australia website where they have a directory of services.
- Many Centrelink offices have financial information services where families can have a confidential interview and get advice and assistance.
There are health professionals who are able to help with many issues such as being a sounding board for making important decisions or providing emotional support. They can be contacted at palliative care services, at local community health centres, and at local GP practices. Some of these contact details are in the State Resources pages. When managing a serious mental illness, some specialist mental health professionals such as a psychologist can work with the whole family. Some psychologists can home visit with a Medicare rebate if the person they are visiting has a mental illness history.
More information
The resources here are for consumers in regard to mental illness. There is very little information available for consumers on mental illness and palliative care.
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This page was created on 28 February 2011
Last updated 28 February 2011*