Innholdsfortegnelse for Winter 2022 i Australian Carers Guide SA/ NT

If you have diabetes you have too much glucose (a type of sugar) in your blood. If your blood glucose levels remain high for too long, it can have serious health consequences. However, managing your diabetes carefully can help you live a full, healthy and active life. Whatever type of diabetes you have, enjoying a healthy diet is the cornerstone to managing it well Food, glucose and insulin such as grains, legumes, milk and yoghurt, fruit, sugary foods and starchy vegetables. During digestion glucose reaches your small intestine where it passes into your bloodstream. One of the functions of your blood is to carry glucose around your body. When glucose reaches body tissues, such as muscle cells, it moves into the cells where it’s broken down to provide energy. The…

The death of a parent can sometimes mean financial turmoil for surviving relatives, however fortunately lingering debts aren’t the responsibility of the adult children in the family. Debts are paid from the deceased person’s estate and then the remaining assets are distributed amongst the beneficiaries. How debts are dealt with is dependent upon a number of factors: Arethedebtssecuredor unsecured? Is there a guarantor for the debts? Were the debts in the sole name of the deceased person or were they held jointly with another person (such as a spouse)? What types of assets are in the estate (such as bank accounts or real estate)? DEALING WITH THE ESTATE If parents die in debt, the first place their executors must turn their attention to is the estate. (Note that executors…

Adriana is married and has two teenage children. They live in Sheidow Park in Adelaide. She has two jobs, and she also takes care of her parents aged 83 and 84, but mainly her dad who is struggling with mental health issues. “He can’t do anything basically – he can’t do anything for himself, and he won’t do anything for himself at all. He doesn’t drive, he has to be helped to shower, you try to take him out of the house, but he has to be persuaded to leave the house, because he’s hardly walking now,” she explains. Neither of her parents drive and although they have lived in Australia for more than 50 years, they don’t speak English very well. This means they are very dependent on Adriana…

Most of us love a funny story but there is also a serious side to most stories. Not only do they make us chuckle and create great memories, but they can also be used as learning opportunities to improve our caregiving. It’s been proven that laughter is a natural medicine. It lifts our spirits and makes us feel happy. It’s contagious, reduces stress hormones (cortisol and epinephrine) and releases endorphins that can potentially relieve pain. 1 MARY AND CAYE Mum and I loved to go shopping. Whether we were buying food or sheets and towels, she was always excited by the thought of wandering up and down the aisles together. Because I felt a shop was a safe environment, when mum was in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, I…

MY MOTHER My Mother was what I would call a moderate churchgoer – a couple of times a month, Christmas Day, Easter Day. She believed in God, and I think she prayed, although God never came up much in her conversations. In moving around over the years, mum had long periods of time of not going to church at all. Eventually, mum and dad found a very small suburban church close to where they lived. Mum had just started to get ill at that time, and I had to move in with them, to help Dad look after her. The people from this little church gave us enormous support. They rallied around us and helped in so many ways. Even the priest often came over to give mum communion. Someone…

The prevalence study states that the most common forms of abuse are: Psychological Abuse - 11.7% Neglect - 2.9% Financial Abuse - 2.1% Physical Abuse - 1.8% Sexual Abuse - 1% Some older people (3.5%) experienced more than one type of abuse, with the most common combination being psychological abuse and neglect. The abuse of older people is clearly happening in Australia right now, and there is plenty we can do. In Australia, older people are often denied their human rights as a result of ageism and ageist attitudes leading to abuse, neglect, and poor care. This was clearly demonstrated during the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. We know that domestic and family violence increased during the recent COVID-19 lockdowns, and we suspect there was a correlating…

Who is an unpaid Carer? An unpaid Carer is a family member or friend who looks after someone with: A disability A mental illness Dementia A long term health condition An illness that is terminal An alcohol or drug related problem or Someone who is frail due to age What is the Carer Gateway? The Carer Gateway is an Australian Government initiative which provides services and support to unpaid Carers across Australia. Carers SA is the local Carer Gateway provider in South Australia for the provision of these services. Carer Gateway services are focused on supporting Carers and they complement the existing services that may be available through other supports such as My Aged Care or NDIS. Can Carers who receive Centrelink Carer Payments access services through Carers SA? Yes.…

Laughter stimulates circulation The average person laughs 17 times a day. Kid’s laugh 300 times a day Laughter strengthens the immune system Laughter decreases stress hormones which helps resistance to disease. Source: Vanderbilt University Women laugh more than men Laughing improves the memory of adults in their 60’s and 70s. Source: University of Maryland Laughter releases endorphins We laugh up to 30 times more in the company of others than ourselves. Laughing can help you burn calories A good chuckle can effectively burn 10 to 40 calories.…

Wordwheel Find as many words of three or more letters in the wheel as you can. Each word must use the central letter and a selection from the outer wheel – no letter may be used more times than it appears in the wheel. Can you find the nine letter word hidden in the wheel? ATTRIBUTE: abet, abut, bait, bar, bare, bat, bate, batter, bear, beat, beau, bet, beta, bier, bit, bite, biter, bitter, bra, brat, brute, but, butt, butter, rebut, rib, rub, tab, tribe, tribute, tub, tuba, tube, tuber TARGET: 19, GOOD: 26, EXCELLENT: 32 INNOVATED: advent, avid, avoid, dative, deviant, diva, divan, dive, divot, dove, innovate, invade, invent, naive, native, nave, nova, ovate, oven, vain, van, vane, vat, vein, vend, vent, vet, veto, via, video, vie, vied, vine,…

This major life shift triggers many unconscious shadow issues, or habitual difficult patterns: for carers, resentment of the lack of freedom, impatience with the other’s demanding needs, betrayal about the loss of a dream. As one woman put it, “When my husband got sick, we lost our future.” As a client said, “When my brother was diagnosed, my life became about nothing but him. I can’t cope.” As a friend said, “Did I stay healthy just to take care of him?” And a husband told me, “I adore her, but I’m not built for this kind of patience.” OUR TEMPERAMENT OUR RESPONSES Our default shadow characters, and their coping strategies, may take over. It can help to do shadow-work by naming them, quieting the mind, and observing them, rather than…

If you are a firsttime traveller, planning with a trusted and recommended travel agent may be a good idea. Booking a holiday package, with many of the travel arrangements prebooked can help reduce the stress of travelling. It’s also worth exploring online travel forums and blogs for travel advice specific to your chosen location. Being aware of capabilities and possible challenges can help with your decision about going on holidays and can assist you in deciding where you want to go, and what you might do whilst you are travelling. Things to consider before planning your holiday: How does your experience of living with dementia impact on you? Can you complete daily living activities on your own, or with the help of a family member or friend? How will you…

Whether you choose to keep or sell the family home when you move into aged care is up to you. Selling the home may be the right decision but there are a few things you should think about first. Let’s start with how the home is assessed for working out how much you can pay for your aged care. For calculating the amount that you can contribute towards your aged care costs the value of your former home is capped at $178,839 (unless a protected person lives there in which case it is exempt). A protected person includes: your partner or dependent child, a carer who is eligible for an Australian Income Support Payment who has been living in the home for at least 2 years or a close relative…

Aged Care Reform at a glance The government’s aged care reform plan is focused around 5 pillars: supporting senior Australians who choose to remain in their own home improving and simplifying residential aged care services and access improving residential aged care quality and safety supporting and growing a better skilled care workforce new legislation and stronger governance. Pillar 1: Home Care 2021 40,000 more home care packages. Senior Australians able to access assistance and information about aged care through 325 Services Australia Service Centres, and aged care specialists in 70 Service Australia centres. Extra support for informal carers. 2022 40,000 more home care packages. Respite services for 8,400 additional clients every year. 2023 500 local Community Care Finders provide targeted, specialist face‑to‑face support to vulnerable senior…

KEY FACTS Falls usually happen because gradual changes to our bodies make walking difficult, or they can be caused by hazards in and around the home. Falls can cause hip fractures and other injuries that require lengthy hospital care and long-term effects. See your doctor for a check-up if you have ever fallen before, even if you weren’t injured as a result. WHY MIGHT OLDER PEOPLE FALL? If someone falls, it’s not necessarily because they are not concentrating or they are clumsy. Reasons why older people might have a fall include: CHANGES TO THE BODY Our bodies change gradually and over many years as part of the normal ageing process. As you get older, you may notice: balanceproblemssuchas feeling unsteady when you walk weaker muscles that, for example,…

Whether restaurant food or take out are an occasional indulgence or a big part of your life, having diabetes can make it hard to choose from a menu or buffet. Here are some suggestions: Know your patterns. Keep track of what, when and how much you’re eating. Watch your portions. Consider splitting an entrée, taking leftovers home, ordering a lunch-sized portion or appetizer for dinner and avoiding all-you-can-eat buffets. Remember that pasta portions are often all the starch a healthy adult will need in one day. Make smart choices. Choose salad instead of fries, grilled chicken instead of crispy, vegetarian pizza instead of one with meat and tomato-based sauces instead of cream. Also, try dressing your burger with lettuce, tomato, pickle and onion instead of cheese or bacon. Eat at…

EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE 000 (TRIPLE 000) Emergency assistance 000 (24 hours/7 days) Lifeline’s 24/7 service on 13 11 14 Suicide Call Back 1300 659 467 24/7 telephone counselling service Beyond Blue’s support 1300 22 46 36 SANE Australia’s service 1800 187 263 Carer Gateway 1800 422 737 Urgent mental health care for anyone having a mental health crisis: NSW Mental Health Line 1800 011 511 ACT Mental Health Triage Service 1800 629 354 SA Mental Health Triage Service 13 14 65 NT Crisis Assessment Triage Service 1800 682 288 WA Mental Health Emergency Line 1800 676 822 QLD 24-hour mental health care 1300 642 25 TAS Mental Health Services Helpline 1800 332 388 VIC Mental Health Services go to health.vic.gov.au for your local provider MindSpot Clinic call 1800 61 44 34…