Now Available - CarerHelp ‘Caring in the Country’ factsheets

We, at CarerHelp, are delighted to share our new ‘Caring in the Country’ factsheets that specifically prepare carers living in rural Australia to care for someone at the end of life. We have incorporated rural carer quotes, a case study, and lots of useful suggestions to help rural carers navigate their very important and often challenging role. The factsheet topics include:

• Tips for caring in the country
• Finding rural services
• Using your community network
• Rural patient and carer information card

You can download the Caring in the Country factsheets from our resources page here or order printed copies (while stocks last) here.

Why has CarerHelp developed the new ‘Caring in the Country’ resources?

Rural families who are caring for someone at the end of life often experience additional challenges. It is well known that there is reduced access to health and aged care services for rural Australians. This has a significant effect on family members or friends who are providing most of the day to day care to person who is at the end of life. Rural carers have many additional burdens including:

• Long distance travel when taking the person they are caring for to health appointments which are in regional or metropolitan cities
• Being expected to shoulder more of the day to day practical tasks of caring, as there are reduced local services to provide in home support
• Less access to respite care
• Additional financial costs associated with taking the person they are caring for to health appointments in regional and metropolitan centres
• More complexity trying to balance caring and other commitments
• Navigating a complex health system and aged care system where services may not be in their local area
• Feeling more isolated from friends and family due to geographical distance
• Managing transitions following discharge from metropolitan or regional hospitals back to rural towns

Furthermore, rural people are less likely to receive specialist palliative care services or are more likely to receive them too late to get the full benefit of these services. Additional complexities may also arise, such as not being able to access end of life medicines in a timely way or not being able to get a bed in a hospital or aged care facility in a local area. Allied health, and grief and bereavement services are also less available in rural areas.

While many rural communities have found their own unique ways of supporting rural residents in challenging times, they need access to information to prepare them for end of life caring. CarerHelp (www.carerhelp.com.au) is a website that can help prepare rural families to care for someone at the end of life. There are factsheets, videos and useful templates that will help provide the right information to rural families at the right time. All the resources are freely available online but can also be printed off to give to families by health professionals.

The new ’Caring in the Country’ factsheets will complement the mainstream resources to ensure rural families get the tailored information that will prepare them for their role. We look forward to adding new ‘Caring in the Country’ videos in the coming months.

How were the ‘Caring in the Country’ resources developed?

The new factsheets were developed by the CarerHelp project team using the following strategies:

• A review of the literature on the rural needs of carers (when caring for someone with advanced disease)
• Discussions with our National Reference Group of key stakeholders
• Feedback from rural carers and rural health professionals on our draft content

You can read more about our review findings here.

CarerHelp are always excited to receive feedback. Please share your thoughts on the new factsheets by contacting us at carerhelp@svha.org.au.