When and How Victoria Hospice Can Help

When is a good time to register for Victoria Hospice care? Some people facing a terminal diagnosis fear that registering with Victoria Hospice means that death is imminent, or that they’re ‘giving up hope’, or that hospice palliative care is only for the very final moments of life.

For others, however, who decide to register early – even before they actually may need any specific help from Victoria Hospice - many opportunities for comfort and support become available to both patients and their families during the weeks or months ahead. Typically, anybody who has been given an approximate prognosis of 6-12 months to live can register with Victoria Hospice. Find out more about how to register here.

Our focus is on care, rather than cure. We offer relief from pain and other distressing symptoms, and we support family members facing death and bereavement.

Most Victoria Hospice care is provided in your own home. This care includes home visits by our Palliative Response Team that is on-call day or night for short-term crisis consultation and treatment at home, a service that often prevents costly and stressful hospital admissions. The Palliative Response Team is also available to help allow death at home.

Care is also provided on our 17-bed palliative care in-patient unit for assessment, pain and symptom management, or a one-week respite stay to give caregivers a break. Victoria Hospice offers medical consultation visits to patients in other care facilities throughout our community. Professional counselling and spiritual care support are also available, both at home and on the palliative care in-patient unit. Victoria Hospice also provides ongoing palliative care courses and publications to teach other health care professionals how to improve care of the dying and care of those who love them. Victoria Hospice care does not end when a death occurs - family members can find ongoing bereavement support for up to one year following the death.