News

This week we are celebrating and reiterating our support for the 850,000+ carers across NSW, many of those who are providing palliative care support to family and friends.

Carers are individuals who offer unpaid care and support to family members and friends in need. This includes those who suffer from a disability, mental health condition, chronic condition, a life-limiting illness, alcohol or drug addiction, or are frail and aged. No matter who you are, anyone can become a carer at any time and statistics suggest that it is a role that many of us will play in our lives.

National Carers Week 2023 theme: ‘Millions of Reasons to Care’

‘Millions of Reasons to Care’ aims to broaden the awareness of the 2.65 million Australians caring for their family members and friends. Carers represent a diverse range of cultures, ages, experiences and responsibilities, balancing those with other responsibilities like work, study and their physical and mental health.

We have developed two helpful and instructional infographics to guide families/carers beginning their palliative care journey.

Both infographics address common questions:

1. What is Palliative Care?: providing a definition, details of care that can be provided, highlights eligibility criteria and a description of who and where palliative care can be provided.
2. How to access Palliative Care services: details the steps of when to start palliative care, the need to speak to your GP and how to find a palliative care service within your geographical region.

These resources are freely available from our website under Resources for Family & Carers and have been made possible by funding from the NSW Ministry of Health. Click on the following link for access: https://palliativecarensw.org.au/families-and-carers/resources/

Other resources we highly recommend for carers:

– Palliative Care NSW Caring Booklet https://palliativecarensw.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/pcnsw-palliative-caring-web.pdf

– Carer Gateway, providing free services and support for Carers https://www.carergateway.gov.au/about

Find a National Carer Week event near you: National Carers Week 2023 events