A list of common caring activities are presented below. Think about which of these activities you do at the moment. You may be able to think of others not included in this list.
As an exercise, write a list of the activities that you currently do. Are there some that you could possibly get help with? Highlight the carer activities that you could try to get help with. For instance, Meals on Wheels may mean that you cook less. See the Word document here that can prompt you to:
- Write down all the activities you do,
- Mark off which ones you already get assistance with,
- Mark off which activities you could get some help with, and
- Write in the final column who you can call on or how you can find out about extra help.
Click on each duty that relates to your role as a carer. Look at the list of the activities that you currently do. Are there some that you could possibly get help with? Tick the carer activities that you could try to get help with.
For instance, Meals on Wheels may mean that you cook less. You may want to go to the note pad and jot down some notes about these activities and what may be a next step in checking if extra help is available.
“After doing this exercise I could see just how much I’d been doing in my caring role. No wonder I felt exhausted sometimes. Highlighting carer activities where I could get some help, got me to thinking… There’s three things that I can do to get more support…”
Activities I MAY be able to get help with…
- Reassuring / being emotionally supportive
- Helping with showering
- Cooking
- Giving medications
“Firstly, if I’m giving a lot of emotional support, perhaps I need some too. My doctor said there were some carer support groups I could join. I’ll look online and get more information about them at my next doctor’s appointment.”
Click here for more information about carer support groups.
“I’ve also heard that some community organisations like The Blue Nurses have personal carers who can come in for an hour or so each day to help with showering and giving medication. I think it’s time I looked into getting someone coming in for a few hours a week.”
Click here for more information about the Home Care Packages Program on the Australian government’s website. This program may be able to give you additional support, such as personal care hours.
“Finally, we already get Meals on Wheels twice a week… maybe I should make it 4 times a week… just to give me a bit more of a break.”
Visit the Meals on Wheels website to get more information about their services. Also, see the Resources page as there are Meals on Wheels services in each state and territory of Australia.