Palliative Care in Melbourne
When someone has a life-limiting illness, the hardest part is often the day-to-day: showering, meals, broken nights and never getting a break. Specialised Living provides that everyday support at home across Melbourne, alongside your GP and community palliative care team. They manage the medical care. We help with everything else.
Gentle Support When It Matters Most
Palliative care is care for people living with an illness that can’t be cured, such as advanced cancer, motor neurone disease, or end-stage heart, lung or kidney disease. It focuses on comfort and quality of life. It can start months or even years before the end of life, and people can keep having other treatment at the same time.
Our part is the hands-on, practical support between nurse and doctor visits. We help the person stay comfortable and clean, keep the household running, and give the family time to rest. Our support is non-clinical: pain relief, medication and symptom management stay with your palliative care team.
How We Can Help
Needs can change from week to week, and support changes with them. Our support workers can help with:
- Gentle personal care: showering or sponge baths, dressing, grooming and toileting.
- Repositioning for comfort, as your palliative care team advises.
- Medication prompts, as directed by your treating team.
- Meals, drinks and help at mealtimes, including small, frequent meals.
- Laundry, changing beds and light housework.
- Transport and company to medical and palliative care appointments.
- Companionship: talking, reading aloud, music, or simply sitting together.
- Respite for family carers, from a few hours to a regular day each week.
- Overnight care, so someone is with the person through the night.
When needs increase in the final weeks, see our End-of-Life Care page. To talk about your situation, call 0402 385 436. We’ll listen and explain your options at your pace.
Start With Us
Today!
And connect with a team of dedicated support workers who put you first.
Care Built Around Your Wishes
We ask what matters most: routines, food, music, faith, who should be there and what the person wants to avoid. It goes into the care plan, and every worker follows it.
Comfort and Dignity, Every Day
Unhurried personal care, done privately and gently. Shifts are long enough to do things properly, not rushed 15-minute visits.
A Small Team You Know
We keep the same few support workers with each person, so they aren’t meeting strangers when they’re unwell. Every worker holds an NDIS Worker Screening Check.
Support for Family and Carers
Respite, overnight cover and updates after each visit, so family can rest, work and spend time together, not only provide care.
Working Alongside Your Healthcare Team
We don’t replace your doctors or palliative care nurses. We follow their care plan and fill the hours between their visits. Your GP and palliative care team stay responsible for pain relief, medication, symptom management and equipment.
With your consent, we tell them when we notice changes, such as new pain, poor sleep, eating less or confusion, so they can act early. Victoria’s community palliative care services are generally free with a referral from your GP or hospital, and we work alongside them.
Supporting Your Family
Most palliative care at home is done by a partner, son or daughter. It’s tiring, and many carers don’t ask for help until they’re exhausted. Respite lets you sleep, work, see your own doctor or just leave the house, knowing someone is there.
We can start with a few hours a week and add more, including overnight shifts, as needs grow. We can also point you to carer support and counselling services in Melbourne.
Get in Touch!
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FAQs
It is supportive care for a person living with a life-limiting illness, delivered in their own home. The focus is on comfort, quality of life and emotional wellbeing, shaped around the person’s wishes and guided by their treating team.
Not exactly. Palliative care can begin earlier and can continue alongside other treatment. End-of-life care is the support given in the final stage of life. We provide both, and we can adjust support as needs change.
Palliative care can begin at any stage of a life-limiting illness, and many people benefit from support early. Your doctor or palliative care team can advise on the right time. Once care is arranged, we can start supporting you at home.
No. We work alongside your doctors and palliative care team, follow their guidance and support them with consistent, caring help at home. They remain in charge of medical care.
Yes. We encourage the person and their family to share their wishes, and we plan care together. Care is reviewed regularly, and you can ask for changes at any time.
Yes. Overnight care at home offers reassurance and comfort after hours, so the person is settled and family can rest. We will talk with you about the level of support you need.
Call us on 0402 385 436 or make an enquiry. We will talk about what support is needed and, with your consent, connect with your healthcare team. There is no pressure to decide straight away.
We're Here to Help!
If you or someone you love is living with a life-limiting illness, we are here to listen. Call, email or send an enquiry, and we will talk through how we can support you at home.
Po Box 399
Werribee VIC 3030
Please leave your name, number, and email as well as a brief explanation of your enquiry and we’ll get back to you soon.