McCulloch House Supportive and Palliative Care Unit

McCulloch House provides respectful comfort care for people with incurable illness. This may be supportive care at an earlier stage of your illness or palliative care towards the end of life.

COVID SAFE PLAN

We are continuing to support and care for people who need palliative care during the COVID-19 pandemic. There have been changes to visitor restrictions in line with Victorian Government directives. For the most up-to-date information, please see the COVID-19 information section on the Monash Health website.

We thank you for your cooperation and understanding at this difficult time.

All staff and visitors entering McCulloch House are required to attend the main entrance at Monash Health for screening and issue of a verification screening sticker prior to entry.

What is Palliative Care?

Palliative care is for people living with a life limiting illness where a cure is no longer possible and for people with an advanced, progressive serious illness who need their symptoms controlled.

Palliative care aims to manage your pain and other symptoms and to provide psychological, social and spiritual support. The goal of palliative care is to help you and everyone close to you achieve the best quality of life possible.

As a person faces the advanced stages of a life limiting illness, the balance of care moves from an emphasis on curative treatment to palliative care. Palliative care aims to achieve the best possible quality of life for patients, their families and carers. We recognise that comfort is more than the absence of pain- it also includes spiritual and emotional comfort.

As well as pain and symptom control, we offer services to help patients and their families cope with the emotional, psychological and spiritual distress often associated with life limiting illness. Support is offered to help patients to live life as fully and comfortably as possible, maintaining dignity and at the same time supporting families and carers during and after the illness. In addition, our service can make referrals to bereavement services if necessary.

Helpful resources

About McCulloch House

McCulloch House provides respectful comfort care for people with incurable illness. This may be supportive care at an earlier stage of your illness or palliative care towards the end of life. We aim to provide an environment to allow you the opportunity to share time together with those close to you and manage problems such as pain, nausea or shortness of breath.

  • We have sixteen inpatient beds at Monash Medical Centre in Clayton and five inpatient beds at Casey Hospital, Casey.
  • People are referred by their healthcare professional and admitted from home or transferred from hospital.
  • Carers and family members are encouraged to help with care if they would like to.
  • We support and respect any religious and cultural practices which may be important to people and use interpreters to assist.
  • Some of our rooms are single and some are shared. They all have a view of the garden. Rooms are allocated by staff according to clinical need. We request your understanding should it become necessary to change your room.
  • It is important to note that McCulloch House is part of the public health system. Our services are free under Medicare but we are not a long-term option for care. Most people stay 1-2 weeks.

After a period of assessment:

  • people may return home with increased support
  • be transferred to a residential care facility
  • remain at McCulloch House for end of life care if symptoms or care needs are too complex to be managed at home or a residential care facility

People returning home are linked in with a community palliative care service for ongoing monitoring of their care needs.

Visiting hours

Visitors are welcome between 10am and 8pm. Many of our patients tire easily so at times we may limit numbers.

Smoke-free

Monash Medical Centre is a smoke-free hospital and visitors are prohibited to smoke. Smoking is discouraged and support is available with nicotine replacement therapy.

Meals

Hospital meals are provided for patients. There is a kitchen available for families to prepare food if they wish. Please note storage is limited and food items must be labelled and dated.

Amenities

TV is available free of charge.

How are patients referred to McCulloch House?

People are referred by their healthcare professional and admitted from home or transferred from hospital.

Palliative Care Team

 A multidisciplinary team with a patient-centred focus, made up of doctors, nurses, consult service, allied health including Social Work, Spiritual Care, Music Therapist, Occupational and Physio Therapists, Pharmacy, Research Assistants, Program Community Coordinator and Volunteer Manager, Fellows and Administration.

Our team includes the healthcare professionals above as well as interpreting services and volunteers.

McCulloch House volunteers complement our care and offer a range of supportive services including relaxation activities, social support and legacy creation.

We also offer bereavement support to assist family members and carers to cope with the changes they may experience following the death of their loved one.

The Supportive and Palliative Care Consultancy Service

The Palliative Care Consultancy Service is a team of specialist doctors and nurses who work closely with hospital medical teams across all campuses of Monash Health. Our service works to enhance quality of life through the management of physical, psychological and spiritual needs of the patient, family and carers.

They can provide:

  • Symptom management
  • Assistance with decision making that is inclusive of patient treatment choices. This may include attendance at family meetings
  • Co-ordination of care as you move through the health care system
  • Discussion regarding appropriate venue of care including transfer to In-patient Palliative Care units
  • Support for patients who are in the terminal phase of their illness. This support also extends to family and carers

If you or a family member would like further information about how Palliative Care can support you, please discuss this with your current healthcare team.

Grief and Bereavement Support

Contact information

For McCulloch House’s contact details, please visit the Contact page.