Information for family/whānau carers 21 May 2020 Carers are important and make a significant contribution to the quality of the lives of the friends, family, whānau and aiga members they care for. Caring is at the heart of a compassionate community and underpins who we are and what we value. Carers’ work is of huge social and economic value to New Zealand. This resource provides current information, services and activities as at 21 May 2020, that are available to help you in your important role as a carer during the COVID-19 response. Information is being updated regularly so it is important to keep checking the recommended sites.
Carers are working hard in the COVID-19 response Carers’ roles have been more challenging during New Zealand’s response to the worldwide COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. You are performing a key frontline role in keeping things together in your families, whānau and aiga and we acknowledge and value you.
There’s lots of helpful information for carers We’ve brought this information together to make it easy for you to understand what support and advice the Government knows carers need at this time – so you don’t have to treasure hunt for links, advice, and answers. Information does change, so please check links supplied for the most up to date information and particularly at these government websites: https://covid19.govt.nz/ and https://www.health.govt.nz/ We know that you may be doing more than usual, so we are thinking of you in how we provide information, funding and how you access services and respite. Some of the answers are evolving and we will work with Carers NZ and the Carers Alliance to keep you informed.
Health and disability How to protect yourself and the people you care for Some people are more vulnerable to certain illnesses. This can include the people we look after as carers and some of us who are carers. There are simple steps you can take to protect you and your family, whānau and aiga. Good hygiene is very important - regularly wash and thoroughly dry your hands, and cough and sneeze into your elbow. It’s also important to stay home if you feel unwell. Physical distance from other people who we don’t know or see regularly, is also important. The idea of the ‘bubble of protection’ around vulnerable people, and those they have contact with, is vital in preventing and managing the risk of COVID-19 infection and its complications. In Alert Levels 3 and 4, we stayed home as much as possible and limited travel. Now bubbles can expand, we need to carefully manage our bubbles so that those who are more vulnerable can continue to be protected. More information about how to protect yourself and others is available here
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