General News
16 May, 2026
Supporting families through life’s most difficult moments
NATIONAL Palliative Care Week in 2026 highlights the importance of supporting people of all ages living with a life-limiting illness. This year’s campaign, “Getting to the heart of it: Big Questions. Real Answers” is designed to make palliative care easier to understand by encouraging honest questions and responses. Central Grampians Palliative Care supports families across Ararat Rural City, Northern Grampians Shire and Pyrenees Shire.
Coordinator Jess Seres said National Palliative Care Week is an opportunity to help more people better understand what palliative care is, when it can help and why earlier conversations matter.
“This year the campaign focuses on helping individuals live well in their own way, remain connected to what matters most to them, and recognising the heart of palliative care through safe, compassionate, and respectful support for both individuals and their families.”
Every day in Australia, around 450 people of all ages die from a life-limiting illness. Each of them could benefit from palliative care — care that is a fundamental human right, care that can improve quality of life in their final days, and care that far too many people still do not have access to.
Palliative care is about quality of life.
It addresses physical symptoms, as well as emotional, social and spiritual needs, and provides practical and emotional support for families and carers.
It’s not about hastening or delaying death, but on helping people live well for as long as they can.
For many people, the term “palliative care” remains taboo, often leading to misconceptions that it means death is imminent or that it hastens the end of life. Because of this stigma, palliative care specialist teams, including Central Grampians Palliative Care, frequently experience delays in referrals, limiting the ability of individuals and their families to access support and care early.
“While conversations about death and dying can naturally be difficult and emotional, a lack of awareness and understanding continues to contribute to widespread misconceptions about what palliative care is and the support it can provide,” Ms Seres said.
Central Grampians Palliative Care, located within East Grampians Health Service- Ararat, is made up of dedicated and passionate Registered Nurses with a desire to support and educate members of the community to make informed decisions around their care needs and wishes.
The team bring a combined wealth of knowledge to support individuals and their families via community-based care within the Ararat, Northern Grampians and Pyrenees municipalities.