Palliative Care Queensland

Palliative care goes beyond end-of-life support

Palliative care is a human right for every age and every stage. It promotes a community of care and embraces everybody as an individual. For those with prolonged and advanced stages of an illness or those with a recent, life limiting diagnosis, expert and empathetic palliative care is paramount.

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You’re not alone on this journey

If you’ve recently received the challenging diagnosis of a life-limiting illness, you are not alone. Navigating through this uncertain and difficult time can be overwhelming, but we’ve collated the resources, information and support you need.

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Support for every community

Death happens to us all, but our experiences and beliefs around this universal moment is unique. That’s why we help all communities.

Healthcare professionals

How we help healthcare professionals

Healthcare professionals play a crucial and multifaceted role in promoting quality end-of-life experiences for patients and their families.

To provide patient-centred care that respects the individual and family’s values, preferences and goals, it’s important to have access to the most up-to-date and relevant resources.

To that end, we’ve curated a range of trusted resources to support healthcare professionals.

Resources for healthcare professionals

Palliative Care Education | Queensland Health

Queensland Health A Guide to Palliative Care Education Resources

Queensland Health Centre for Palliative Care Research and Education

PCC4U Improving palliative care knowledge and skills

Quality of Care Collaborative Australia (QuoCCA) – Education in Paediatric Palliative Care

PEPA Education Workshops

PallConsult – end-of-life care support service for clinicians | Queensland Health

palliPHARM Resources for residential and aged care communities

LGBTIQ+ Inclusive Palliative Care eLearning

Care Search Health Professionals

Paediatric Palliative Care for health professionals

Palliative care: For Health Professionals

Queensland Government Care at the end of life

Advance Care Planning Quick Guide

Advance Care Planning Clinical Guidelines

Patient Mental Health Module

PELP Framework

IPEPA/PCC4U Palliative Care Toolkit for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Professionals 2023

Palliative Care – LGBTIQ+ Health Australia

Carers

How we help carers

Carers play a pivotal role in palliative care as they provide support, compassion, and comfort to their loved ones and communities facing life-limiting illnesses. Their presence and dedication extends beyond purely medical support – they offer emotional solace and companionship during what can be an intensely challenging period.

Caregiving, especially in the context of palliative care, can be emotionally and physically demanding. Supporting caregivers’ efforts and sacrifices helps validate the significance of their work and the positive impact they have on patients’ lives.

We’ve curated a range of trusted resources to support carers.

Resources for carers

Caring for someone at the end of their life | My Aged Care

Support for carers | Community support | Queensland Government

Support for young carers | Community support | Queensland Government

Care Companion Toolkit | Clinical Excellence Queensland | Queensland Health

Carers Queensland

Family and Carer Support Services

Young Carers Network

Health Direct Free Australian health advice you can count on

Carers Australia

Palliative care for carers

Care Search Palliative Care Knowledge Network

PalAssist: A Guide to Palliative Care in Queensland

Advance Care Planning

Services Australia Death of a loved one

Gwandalan Dillybag

A guide to self-care – Life in Mind Australia

Family & friends

How we help family & friends

Supporting family and friends who are carers for individuals going through palliative care is essential, for the well-being of both the carer and the patient.

Knowledge is a vital component of care, and our aim is to equip you with the insights needed to make informed decisions. Whether you’re seeking guidance on medical aspects, emotional well-being, or practical matters, you’re not alone in facing the challenges of palliative care.

To that end, we’ve curated a range of trusted resources to support family and friends.

Resources for family & friends

How to support and friend or family member with a life-limiting condition

Family and Carer Support Services

Supporting someone who is grieving the loss of a child

Supporting someone who is caring for a seriously ill child

Children’s Palliative Care Toolkit: a toolkit for family and friends

Life Limiting Illness Workplace Toolkits – for employees

Advance Care Planning

Gwandalan Dillybag

A guide to self-care – Life in Mind Australia

Family Carers Booklet

What do you want for your end of life care?

End-of-Life Stages Timeline | Stages of Dying in Hospice Care

At the end of life

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples

How we help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

We recognise our Brisbane office is located on the traditional lands of the Meeanjin people and recognise the country North and South of the Brisbane River as the home of the Turrbul and Jagera nations. We recognise the Wulgurukaba people as the traditional owners of Palm Island and the Bindal people as the traditional owners of the Townsville town area, where we also have a physical presence.

In November 2020 we held the first meeting of the PCQ Reconciliation Action Plan Working Group. We are continuously collaborating with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities, such as in our Yarning Circles & Getting Out on Country initiative.

We’ve curated a range of trusted resources designed to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Resources for for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Children & young people

How we help children & young people

Paediatric palliative care is a specialised approach to medical care that focuses on improving the quality of life for children or young people with serious illnesses. It encompasses a holistic approach which supports the physical, emotional, social and spiritual aspects of the child and their family.

Recognising the unique challenges and sensitivities involved in paediatric palliative care, PCQ collaborates closely with organisations like Hummingbird House and Queensland Children’s Hospital.

We’ve curated a range of trusted resources to support children and young people.

Resources for children & young people

General

Quality of Care Collaborative Australia (QuoCCA) – Education in Paediatric Palliative Care

Books to help kids understand death and grief

More books to help kids understand death and grief

What is the Trauma & Grief

MacKillop Seasons website

Understanding and supporting primary school-age children who have experienced grief and loss

Supporting a child through grief and loss

The Dougy Centre

Cancer Council Queensland Cancer in the school community

Hummingbird House, Queensland’s only children’s hospice

Ladybird Care Foundation

Grief Australia

Winston’s wish: Support for schools working with grieving young people

Advance Care Planning

PalliLEARN: Talking to children about dying

Specific End-of-Life Care – End-of-Life Essentials

End of Life Essentials-Self-Care Resources

‘Working out what’s right for your child’ – Discussion Starter Cards and Yarning Companion resources – Paediatric Palliative Care

Grief & Bereavement Support After the Loss of a Child | Red Nose Australia

Heart Strings: A Supportive Community for Bereaved Families – Red Nose Australia

Other programs and apps

Children’s Health Queensland Bereavement Support

La Trobe University – Healthy End of Life Program APP

Watch

Grief Tending Episode 4 – Jana DeCristofaro on young people’s grief & becoming comfortable with heartache

Rural & remote communities

How we help rural & remote communities

Navigating the journey of palliative care in rural and remote communities presents unique challenges. In these often isolated settings, access to comprehensive medical services and support can be limited.

People in rural and remote communities can receive the support they need during their palliative care journey. Our mission is to bring quality palliative care closer to home, alleviating the burdens of distance and ensuring that compassionate end-of-life care is accessible to all, regardless of their geographic location.

We’ve curated a range of trusted resources to support these communities.

Resources for rural & remote communities

Palliative care at home in the bush

End of Life directions for Aged Care (ELDAC): Rural and Remote

Caresearch: Rural and Remote

PalliAged: Our Population

myagedcare

Services for Australian Rural and Remote Allied Health (SARRAH)

CRANAPlus: Professional body for the remote and isolated health workforce

Australian Rural Health Education Network (ARHEN)

Advance Care Planning

People living in rural and remote Queensland | Health and wellbeing | Queensland Government

Specialist Palliative Rural Telehealth Service | Queensland Health

LGBTQIA+

How we help LGBTQIA+ individuals

LGBTQIA+ palliative care is about providing compassionate and respectful care that acknowledges and validates individuals’ identities and experiences.

We empower members of the LGBTQIA+ community and their support networks to access high-quality information, make well-informed decisions and engage with end-of-life discussions in ways that respect their individualities and backgrounds.

We’ve curated a range of trusted resources to support the LGBTQIA+ community.

Resources for LGBTQIA+ individuals

Palliative Care and LGBTQI+ People

Caresearch Patient diversity resources

LGBTIQA+ glossary of common terms

Care at the end of life for LGBTI communities

LGBTIQ+ Knowledge Hub

Advance Care Planning

Palliative Care and LGBTQI+ People

Palliative Care Support -ACON

Palliative and End-of-Life Care for LGBT Patients and Their Caregivers

LGBTQ community members’ perspectives on palliative care

Palliative and end of life care for LGBTQ+ people | Marie Curie

People with disability

How we help people with disability

It’s important for individuals with a disability to receive the specialised care, information and support they need during their palliative care journey. Our approach is built on creating a safe and inclusive space where every individual’s unique needs are respected.

We’ve curated a range of trusted resources to support people with disabilities.

People with disability

Assistance Dogs Australia

Information on Disability & Education Awareness Services Inc (IDEAS)

Siblings Australia, Promoting better support for siblings of children and adults with disability

Talking End of Life with people with intellectual disability

National Disability Insurance Scheme

Advance Care Planning

Autism & Grief – Autism & Grief Project

Culturally & linguistically diverse

How we help the culturally & linguistically diverse

By tailoring palliative care services to the needs of individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse communities, healthcare providers can offer a more compassionate and respectful end-of-life experience.

We not only want to honour diverse cultural traditions but also support individuals and families in coping with the challenges of serious illness and loss, in a way that aligns with their backgrounds and preferences.

We’ve curated a range of trusted resources to support this community.

Resources for the culturally & linguistically diverse

ELDAC Palliative Care in Diverse Populations

Culturally Safe Care

Care Search Resources for supporting patient diversity

Multicultural Australia

Palliative Care Victoria Culturally & Linguistically Diverse People

Palliative Care Multilingual Resources

Palliative Care Victoria Fact Sheet – How Palliative Care Can Help

Translated Resources – Red Nose Australia

Advance Care Planning

Grief and Bereavement

How we support grief and bereavement

Grief is a natural response to loss, and everyone’s experience is different. There is no right or wrong way to grieve, and support can look different for each person and family.

Whether you are caring for someone with a life-limiting illness, have recently lost a loved one, or are supporting someone through grief, accessing the right information and support can make a difference.

We’ve brought together a range of trusted grief and bereavement resources to help individuals, families and carers navigate loss and find support when they need it most.

Resources for Grief and Bereavement

Understanding Grief Booklet – Palliative Care Australia

Palliative Care Queensland – Grief Tending Podcast : Grief Tending is a unique online resource which seeks to cultivate our collective community capacity for being alongside people who are grieving in supportive ways

Grief Australia Support

Griefline

Understanding anticipatory grief

Lifeline Crisis Support

Beyond Blue

Supporting someone who is grieving the loss of a child

Empowering you to live your best life, right until the end

We are a leading charity and independent peak body representing palliative care providers, recipients and their families in Queensland. Our belief is that every single human deserves to live every day until their last. We are committed to ensuring that every Queenslander has access to quality palliative care that is holistic and encompasses the individual’s social, emotional, physical and spiritual needs.

Building compassionate communities is at the heart of what we do

Everybody has a role to play in supporting each other in times of loss, ageing, dying and grief. So, we support communities to feel confident in having open, empathetic conversations and supporting each other through one of life’s most challenging journeys.

From our community

I know that our Wishes on the Sunshine Coast team is excited to be involved and to help create magical moments that are priceless for wish recipients and those that they love and share those special moments with.

Sue Mason-Baker

Mingary Care

Thank you very much everyone. Really grateful to be a part of this group. Queensland are leaders in the PC, grief and bereavement space. I am continually in awe of what you are doing. Look forward to the next meeting.

Grief, Bereavement and Spirituality Community of Practice member

Much appreciated. Great speakers – great breadth of experience. I’m grateful they are happy sharing this to improve support elsewhere.

Education Webinar Participant

Looking back on my time as manager of KRCH, partnering with AWQ is truly one of my proudest achievements. The beautiful memories your team creates are deeply heart-warming, and we are incredibly fortunate to offer such a special service to our guests. We look forward to continuing to work with you in 2025.

Nurse Unit Manager

Katie Rose Cottage

The way we care for our dying is a meaningful indicator of our society’s values

Palliative care goes beyond end-of-life support

You’re not alone on this journey

Support for every community

Healthcare professionals

How we help healthcare professionals

Resources for healthcare professionals

Carers

How we help carers

Resources for carers

Family & friends

How we help family & friends

Resources for family & friends

Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples

How we help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Resources for for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

HealthCare workers

General community

Watch

Children & young people

How we help children & young people

Resources for children & young people

General

Other programs and apps

Watch

Rural & remote communities

How we help rural & remote communities

Resources for rural & remote communities

LGBTQIA+

How we help LGBTQIA+ individuals

Resources for LGBTQIA+ individuals

People with disability

How we help people with disability

People with disability

Culturally & linguistically diverse

How we help the culturally & linguistically diverse

Resources for the culturally & linguistically diverse

Grief and Bereavement

How we support grief and bereavement

Resources for Grief and Bereavement

Empowering you to live your best life, right until the end

Building compassionate communities is at the heart of what we do

From our community

Our partners and supporters

The way we care
for our dying is a meaningful indicator of our society’s values