I am caring for someone

• Advocacy

  Our aim is to assist you in understanding your choices and support your voice in all decisions affecting your life.

  Practical help and advice on resources and needs: you don’t have to know exactly what to ask for. If you have a worry or concern, or the question is simply “How do I…?” then just ask. We can talk the issue through together.

• Aged Care facility social work support

  All residents living in Aged Care with a life limiting illness have access to MCM’s specialist palliative care program. Support for residents and families may include social work support, counselling, advocacy and practical help and advice.
  

• Massage therapy

  Massage has been shown to enrich the lives of those living with a life-limiting illness. MCM offers all clients and their carers an opportunity to experience specialised massage therapy.

  If you want to have a go at giving your loved one a massage, check out our instructional videos below.

  Massage therapy: Benefits and cautions	Hand massage instructional video	Foot massage instructional video

• Volunteers

  Our Volunteers, who are trained in palliative care support, offer the gift of time, and can support you in a variety of ways.

  • Providing companionship
  • Carer respite
  • Hand and foot massage
  • Life stories – a written account of the client’s life story
  • Regular phone contact for you or your carer
  • Someone to take you on an outing
  • Dog walking.
    

Therapeutic and counselling support

• Grief and bereavement support

  Grief and bereavement support and advocacy is available to all families and carers of loved ones who have been on our program. This may be through counselling in our offices, at your home, via video link, on the telephone or a place of your choosing. We also run information and support groups.

• Palliative care counselling

  We provide a community-based specialist counselling service, visiting in the comfort of your home, via phone or video-link, at our Thornbury offices, or elsewhere according to need.

• Spiritual wellbeing and palliative care

  MCM recognises people’s spiritual care needs and acknowledges that these can be broad and wide-ranging. When a person is seen and treated as a whole person within the context of their life, values and beliefs, then they are receiving spiritual care.

  Spirituality gives meaning to life, connection to others, ourselves, nature and the sacred. When we are reaching the end of our lives, our spiritual wellbeing is as important as our physical and psychological health. Spiritual wellbeing is also important for caregivers.