My Self-care Plan
We acknowledge and pay respects to the traditional owners of the lands on which MPHN operates; the Wiradjuri, Nari Nari, Wemba Wemba, Perepa Perepa, Yorta Yorta, Ngunnawal, Ngarigo, Bangerang and Yitha Yitha Nations. We recognise our communities are made up of many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples descended from additional mobs and clans who also call the Murrumbidgee region home.
We pay respect to elders past, present and future and recognise these lands have always been places of traditional healing and medicine, and this plays a role in shaping future health services.
What is self-care?
Self-care is any action that takes care of you so that you can continue to care for your loved one.
“You can’t pour from an empty cup”
Caring for someone at home providing end of life care is complicated and you may find it challenging. The intensity of the caring situation can be rewarding, it can also be hard to deal with. You might find it hard to sleep, feel anxious or worried. Feeling anxious or worried is very normal but it can be difficult to function if you feel like this most of the time.
A self-care plan as a carer is based on what you like to do, have done in the past or are curious to explore which can help. Here we suggest a few things that you could try, but what you choose will depend on what suits you best. If you would like more information, please ask your health care team.
Home self-care
Practical activities to help you at home
Some examples:
Ask for help or accept offers of help. ‘Remember asking for help is not a sign of failure, family and friends may want to help and sometimes people wait to be asked’ (Palliative care South East, 2016).
Share an online calendar with family and/or friends so that they know when you might need help or company.
Make a list of tasks that could be done by someone else.
Find out about respite services in your area that can be accessed for a few hours or a few days or in an emergency.
Join a support or training group for carers.
Ask your health care team for more information on services.
My Activities
Physical self-care
Activities that help you to stay fit and healthy
Some examples:
Taking care of your physical needs can benefit managing your stress levels, sleep and overall wellbeing.
Your regular sleep routine may be disrupted. Managing exhaustion is important, discuss your concerns with a medical practitioner, familiarise yourself with good sleep habits and nap when you can.
Appetite may change when you are stressed. Having smaller, nutritionally dense snacks or meals throughout the day may support your energy requirements.
Drink water.
Regular movement or activity will support your overall health. Set an alarm as a reminder.
Continue to see your doctor for your regular health check-ups.
Ask if your health care team for information if you need equipment or modifications for your home that will make caring easier.
My Activities
Enable NSW
enable.health.nsw.gov.au/ services/aep
Department of Veteran Affairs dva.gov.au
Your home care provider
Psychological self-care
Activities that help you to feel clear-headed and able to engage with personal challenges
Some examples:
Map your support network of neighbours, faith leaders or Elders, family, friends or pets.
Build your grounding practice as a tool to achieve periods of clarity. This can be as simple as listening to music or enjoying a cuppa.
Short-term memory may be impacted when you are worried or overwhelmed. Keep a diary. Document who you spoke with, the outcome, and what you have got to remember.
Seek regular meetings with the health care team. Write down the questions or concerns you have, then write down what was discussed.
Keep a list of medications, dosage and what they’re for.
See if a friend or family member would be happy to be the contact point for sharing information and passing information on to you from friends and family.
Face to face or telephone counselling services are available, ask you health care team for more information or see the MPHN Mental Health Directory.
Understand your rights as a carer. The Charter of Rights outlines your right to: access, safety, respect, partnership, information, privacy, and to provide feedback.
Do your loved ones have an Advanced Care Plan? These conversations can reduce some of the stress and help with decision making at end of life.
My Activities
MPHN Mental Health Directory
mphn.org.au/mental-health-services
Murrumbidgee Central Access and Navigation (CAN) Service
1800 931 603
Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights
safetyandquality.gov.au/publicationsand-resources/resource-library/ australian-charter-healthcare-rightssecond-edition-a4-accessible
Emotional self-care
Allowing yourself to safely express your emotions
Some examples:
Develop or maintain friendships that are supportive and those who will be ok for you to share your feelings with.
Look for ‘glimmers’, the small moments of beauty. Give yourself permission to laugh. Glimmers help to regulate the nervous system and therefore reduce the impacts of stress.
If it’s possible, maintain your usual activities. If it’s not possible, can these be adjusted or changed to suit you better?
Seek out avenues that allow you to express your feelings. This may be time alone, time with friends, professionals or a pet.
Going outside for a moment or two.
My Activities
Spiritual self-care
Develop a sense of perspective beyond the day-to-day of life which can include religious/spiritual or cultural practices
Some examples:
Maintain your usual spiritual, religious or cultural practices if possible.
Engage in reflective practices like meditation, prayer or other culturally significant practice.
Connect with nature or places of cultural significance.
There is recognition that for those in the LGBTIQ+ communities there are unique challenges making it difficult in seeking services. Value self-care and reach out to your community where you can.
Practice some grounding or mindfulness using your senses – sight, hearing, taste, touch or smell.
Try something new like yoga, massage or tai chi. This can be done at home, online or in a class.
My Activities
Relationship self-care
Maintain healthy, supportive relationships
Some examples:
Prioritise close relationships in your life e.g. with partners, family and children. Taking on a caring role can lead to isolation. Staying connected is important.
Attend the special events of your family and friends. Special days can be difficult to remember and be prepared for.
Intimacy may take on new meaning but is still important.
Tip: Buy all the cards you may need at one time and keep them ready to send out.
My Activities
Financial support
The Australian Government provides additional support, including payments to support carers and the people they care for. Find out if you are eligible for additional financial support by speaking with relevant services including your bank or independent financial advisors.
You can find out more about these additional government support services:
• Services Australia provides payments for carers
• National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) supports people with disability
• My Aged Care supports elderly people
• Disability Gateway provides information about support available to people with disability.
Services Australia
servicesaustralia.gov.au/gettingpayment-if-youre-carer
My Aged Care
myagedcare.gov.au
Additional Contacts for Carers
Name Service Contact
Can Assist
• Financial assistance
• Accommodation assistance
• Travel assistance
Carer Gateway
Services NSW (Centrelink)
The Intereach Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre (CRCC)
Carer Gateway is an Australian Government program providing free services and support for carers including young carers.
Coaching, online courses and forums, counselling and respite services. First Nations.
Financial support for carer payment, carer allowance, Centrelink carer line, health care card, rent assistance and crisis payments. Eligibility criteria apply.
Provides short term support for NSW carers.
Support can include information and resources, counselling, education, emergency planning, connecting with other carers and respite (emergency and short term).
Head office
1300 226 277
canassist.org.au/contact
Head office
1800 422 737 carergateway.gov.au
Centrelink 136 240
Centrelink Carer Line 132 717
Intereach Wagga Wagga intereach.com.au 20 Peter St, Wagga. 02 6932 8300
National Dementia Helpline
MLHD Community Care Intake (CCIS)
Available 24/7. Provides expert information, advice and support.
Referral for a community health service or information on local community services, including palliative care nurses,
1800 100 500
1800 654 324 MLHD-CCIS@health. nsw.gov.au
Murrumbidgee
Local Health
District Palliative
Care Services
Palliative Care Services are committed to the delivery of high quality, patient and family focused care for people of all ages, who have a life limiting illness, based on the person’s needs and their priorities.
• End of life planning
• Pain and symptom management
• Access to equipment
• Referral to other allied health services
• Access to carer respite
• Provide information and advice to carers
• Bereavement counselling and support
Palliative Care
After Hours
Helpline
Palliative Care
Australia
National peak body for palliative care. Provides links to services in your area and resources.
PalliConnect National LGBTI Health Australia is the national health peak body that provides LGBTI and other gender and sexuality diverse health programs, services, and research to people who are LGBTI.
Resources available relating to people in the LGBTIQ+ communities.
Referral via CCIS Intake
ACON
The ACON LGBTQ+ toolkit for palliative care and end of life decisions attempts to make it easier to open conversations about death and dying. It will give you ideas about things to consider and decide when it comes to your own death and how to support a loved one’s wishes if faced with their death.
1800 548 225
palliativecare.org.au
palliconnect.org.au/ topic/lgbtiq-resources
acon.org.au/what-weare-here-for/palliativecare-support
NSW Trustee and Guardian Supports those who are legally appointed as private or enduring guardians with information about the role and guardianship practice.
Seniors Rights Service A community organisation dedicated to protecting and advancing the rights of older people in New South Wales.
Public Guardians
1300 076 694 pg.engagement@opg. nsw.gov.au
General enquiries
1300 361 389
02 9281 3600
1800 424 079 info@ seniorsrightsservice. org.au
seniorsrightsservice. org.au
Department of Veteran Affairs
MND NSW MND NSW provides information, support and education for people living with motor neurone disease, their families, friends and carers in NSW
Griefline
Griefline is available with free, compassionate and confidential support every day of the year.
13 32 54 dva.gov.au
1800 777 175 02 8877 0999
Griefline Help
Texts
Private grief, caregiver or mental health support via text. 12 months free subscription available.
Lifeline 24-hour telephone crisis support and suicide prevention.
National Carer Counselling Program
Carers Australia program: Provides short-term counselling. The Carers Associations in each state and territory also run local support groups.
1300 845 745 (8am –8pm 7 days) Call back service available griefline.org.au
helptexts.com/griefline
13 11 14 lifeline.org.au
1800 422 737
carersaustralia.com.au
Works Cited
Carers Australia NSW. (n.d.). Caring for someone with a life-limiting illness. Retrieved from Western PHN: wnswphn.org.au/uploads/documents/ePAF/2001CN_PalliativeCare%20leaflet_ TakingCare.pdf
Palliative Care Aged Care Evidence. (2024, January). Self-Care Plan Family Carer. Retrieved from palliAGED: palliaged.com.au/Portals/5/Documents/Fillable-Forms/SelfCarePlan_ FamilyCarer_Form.pdf
Palliative care South East. (2016). Carers Handbook. Retrieved from Palliative Care South East: palliativecaresoutheast.org.au/carers/carer-support-kit