Information on palliative care, health resources and symptoms is available in multiple community languages.
CareSearch videos
Courageous Conversations Podcasts
CareSearch collaborated with Multicultural Communities Council of South Australia and Palliative Care South Australia to create podcasts that promote an understanding of palliative care and awareness of support services. The podcasts are in Cantonese, Croatian, Greek, Mandarin, Spanish, and Ukrainian
Interpreters
Interpreters are able to help you talk with someone in your own language. It is a good idea to ask for one. The Government has a service that you may want to use. There may be a cost for this.
For day time and after hours services, call the Commonwealth Translating and Interpreting Service on 131 450. This is usually a free service if you don’t speak English and are an Australian Resident or Permanent Resident.
Translating words
The Victorian Government has a Health translations directory which you can use.
Family and community support
Your family and friends care about you and want to support you. They may want to help you talk to health professionals in your own language. However it is often better to use a trained interpreter. Trained interpreters are used to talking to Doctors and Nurses, and can help with complicated medical explanations. If you wish, your family can still be with you when the doctor talks to you with an interpreter. They can be with you so you won't have to worry about trying to explain complicated information.
Referral to palliative care
Being referred to a palliative care service does not mean that you are giving up. It means that you care about your quality of life. Palliative care is about supporting people to live well with their disease. Many people continue to have treatment such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy at the same time they are getting palliative care.