Why is it important to support families in their role of caring – both at home and in a residential aged care facility?

An article written by Dr Tina Thomas, CarerHelp Project Manager, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne

The role of a family carer

Family and friends play an important role in caring for a person who has an advanced disease, life-limiting illness, or frailty. In fact, as a person gets closer to the end of their life, they will require someone to reside with them and provide practical care if they want to remain at home. Even with paid supports, such as through an aged care support at home package, the family carer will still provide the majority of day-to-day care.

This is an enormous undertaking that family carers often report feeling unprepared for. Frequently, family carers find they have ‘fallen’ into the role of caring for a person with increasing needs and have little information about what to expect or what services can help. Family carers are at an increased risk of physical and emotional health issues as a result of the caring role.  In many circumstances, the burden becomes too high and many families consider a transition to a residential aged care facility. This is also a difficult decision and process.

What is CarerHelp?

CarerHelp (www.carerhelp.com.au) provides online information and resources to better prepare Australians caring for someone towards the end of life. These include practical resources and information on how to care, self-care, services and supports, signs of dying, and bereavement. Recently, CarerHelp has released new Caring in Aged Care Homes resources to help families with the transition to a residential aged care facility and helps them consider what good end of life care might look like within that aged care facility.

We know that moving to an aged care facility is often a challenging and emotional decision. Families need clear information to:

• Dispel misconceptions about care in an aged care home
• Improve understanding about how palliative care and end of life care are provided in an aged care home
• Know which factors are important in making the decision to transition to an aged care home
• Ask the right questions when choosing an aged care home.

The family carer can continue to play an important role even after the person has moved into a residential aged care facility. The family carer knows the person and can provide the staff with useful information about the person’s life, likes and dislikes, and things that help them feel safe and calm. They are also likely to be better at reading the person’s non-verbal communication and are more likely to notice small changes in the person before it becomes more obvious to staff. Many family carers want to be involved in decision-making and direct care in an ongoing way.

How can I support family carers?

Whether you work in home care or residential care, supporting families is an important part of your role. Acknowledge family carers as an important part of the care team and try to maintain open and honest communication with them.

You may also have the opportunity to provide emotional support, respite, practical care tips, and answer any questions family may have. You could also introduce the CarerHelp website or give families CarerHelp factsheets on topics that are relevant to the person’s care. If you feel that a family carer needs more support than you can provide, you can encourage them to talk to their health care team, their general practitioner (GP), or call a free Helpline.

If you need more information about caring for someone who is at the end of life, you may be interested in Support worker resources - CarerHelp Knowledge.

Author

Dr Tina Thomas

CarerHelp Project Manager

St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne