Practical Information and Resources

There are links here to practical resources that may help.

Legal and advance care planning resources

• Carer Gateway: Provides information on legal matters including privacy and confidentiality​
• Office of the Public Advocate (VIC): Enduring powers of attorney
• Carers Victoria: Guardianship and Administration applications in hospital (1.61MB pdf)
• The Advance Care Planning Australia website provides information and resources to support advance care planning in Australia.

Practical help and equipment

• Carers Victoria has produced a leaflet on aids and equipment (77kb pdf)
• The Department of Veterans Affairs has produced a substantial guide Back to basics: handy hints for carers to help prevent back injuries
• As part of the National Continence Program a booklet on Caring for someone with bladder or bowel problems (2.59MB pdf) has been produced. This has several useful sections on managing at home, getting out and costs and products
• The Independent Living Centres Australia have a searchable database of products and equipment that can make caring easier
• Many of the services who provide practical help can be found in the CareSearch State Resources pages.

Family carer resources

• Carer Gateway: National online and phone service includes practice information and support services for carers
• Carers NSW Carer resources
• Emergency planning information can be found at the Carers Victoria website
• The NSW Government has produced a booklet: Walking with Carers in NSW (1.63MB pdf)
• Caregivers Library: Appointment Information (54kb pdf)
• Caregivers Library: Needs assessment worksheet (180kb pdf)
• GatherMyCrew helps families to coordinate care at times of need. 

Medicines

• The National Prescribing Service (NPS) have information on keeping a medicines list that can be used to keep track of medication
• The Better Health Channel has a sheet on side effects (91kb pdf) of medication
• The search the PBS drug list information may be helpful
• The PBS has a PBS Safety Net Scheme that many people are eligible for
• Centrelink has a Pharmaceutical Allowance scheme
• The Canadian Virtual Hospice has information on help with medications
• The Caregivers Library has a weekly medicine chart (40kb pdf) that could be helpful

Transport

Transport assistance schemes are available in each State and Territory:

• Interstate Patient Travel Assistance Scheme (IPTAS) (ACT)
• Isolated Patients Travel and Accommodation Assistance Scheme (NSW)
• Patient Assistance Travel Scheme (NT)
• Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme (PTSS) (QLD)
• Patient Assistance Transport Scheme (PATS) (SA) 
• Patient Travel Assistance Scheme (PTAS) (TAS)
• Victorian Patient Transport Assistance Scheme (VPTAS) (VIC)
• Patient Assisted Travel Scheme (PATS) (WA)

Last updated 02 September 2019