In the Adelaide Hills area, the Palliative Care Service is located within, and funded through, the Adelaide Hills Community Nursing Service.
Their aim is for a flexible, client-focused service, with care co-ordinated to suit the individuals’ needs. Consideration of the whole family, including relatives and friends is important. Care is given in the person’s home.
Being in familiar surroundings amongst family and friends has been shown to maximise quality of life. Treatment is aimed to minimise discomfort and alleviate distress, whilst assisting clients and their care givers to maintain as normal as possible lifestyle.
Referrals can be made to the local Adelaide Hills Palliative Care Service by anyone (Patient, Carer or Healthcare Professional) by contacting:
Hills Southern Fleurieu Kangaroo Island Community Health Service (HSFKI)
87 Wellington Road Mount Barker, SA 5251
Tel: (08) 8393 1833
Fax: (08) 8393 1800
Contact the Palliative Care Council of SA for further information about services in other parts of SA or within Australia.
Advance Directives
An Advance Directive enables a patient to record their wishes about medical care and treatment in advance.
They can document whether they would like life-sustaining treatment or not. Should they then no longer be medically competent and unable to make their own decisions the patient’s wishes will have been recorded.
Copies of this form should be kept by their doctor and to those close to the patient. Encourage the patient to keep one in their wallet and have the original in a safe place.
This is not the same as Voluntary Euthanasia or Voluntary Assisted Dying In South Australia (VADSA). For more information on VADSA, visit the SA Health website.
For further information contact:
The Department of Health
Level 13, 11-29 Waymouth Street
Adelaide SA 5000
Freecall: 1800 188 098
Or
The Palliative Care Council of SA
Tel: (08) 8291 4137
Fax (08) 8291 4122