See validated screening tools mentioned in Principle 4 ‘Supportive care’.

A number of specific challenges and needs may arise for patients at this time:

• assistance for dealing with emotional and psychological distress from anticipatory grief, fear of death or dying, anxiety/depression and interpersonal problems
• management of physical symptoms such as pain and fatigue, reduced appetite, early satiety and weight loss
• transfusion support, which requires specialised clinical transfusion knowledge
• decline in mobility or functional status, affecting the patient’s discharge destination (a referral to physiotherapy, exercise physiology, occupational therapy or social work may be needed)
• appointing a substitute decision-maker and completing an advance care directive
• legal issues (completing a will, care of dependent children) and making an insurance, superannuation or social security claim on the basis of terminal illness or permanent disability
• specific support for families where a parent is dying and will leave behind bereaved children or adolescents, creating special family needs
• arranging a funeral.

These services and resources can help:

• referral to 13 11 20 for Cancer Council Australia’s Pro Bono Program for free legal, financial, small business accounting and workplace assistance (subject to a means test)
• Sad news sorry business (Queensland Health 2015) for the specific needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

For more information on supportive care and needs that may arise for different population groups, see Appendices A and B, and special population groups.