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Your health and well-being
Some of the tips below may help you to look after your own needs to make sure you’re able to cope with your caring responsibilities – today and in the future.
- Employment
- Getting out
- Knowing you’re not alone
- Keeping healthy
- Making time just for yourself
- Your checklist
- What if I’m not coping?
Employment
Being a carer can take up a lot of your time, but it is still important for you to remain in the workplace. If you are aged 50 or over and have been out of the paid workforce for more than two years or have never done any paid work and you are looking for paid work, you may be eligible for the Transition to Work program.This service offers practical help such as career counselling, training to help you develop your skills and advice on how to write resumes and job applications. This free service is flexible and is tailored to meet your individual needs.
Contact Centrelink on 13 62 68 to find out more about this program.
The Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs runs the Young Carers Respite and Information Service Program which assists young carers to stay in education and the workforce.
Getting out
Constantly caring without taking a break can be bad for your health. That’s why it’s so important to ask family, friends or respite services to help you get away from your caring responsibilities for a few hours or even a few days.Try to continue with activities you enjoy. Even though the many demands of caring may make it difficult to manage, it’s really important that you follow your own interests outside your caring role.
Some carers say they feel guilty when they leave the house or enjoy an activity without the person they care for, or the person you care for may not want someone else looking after them. But if you use respite services to take a break, it can sometimes be good for the person you care for as well. So if you are finding it difficult to get out and about, talk to someone about how you are feeling.
Read more: Short-term care
Knowing you’re not alone
It’s easy to become isolated when you’re a carer. For a start, you might be too busy to keep up with friends and family and people may visit you less often. Loneliness may be one of the worst side effects of being a carer. Sometimes just talking to someone who understands what you’re going through can be a great relief. Sharing your experiences with someone you trust – family, friends, neighbours, other carers or health workers – may help.When ideas, feelings, concerns, information and problems are shared, the experience of caring can seem far less isolating. You can contact 1800 200 422 during business hours or, for emergency respite support outside standard business hours, call 1800 059 059 or the Network of Carer Associations on 1800 242 636 for further information.
Keeping healthy
To stay healthy yourself so you can continue to give quality care, try to make sure that you:- Make time for regular exercise – this will make you feel more energetic and give you a break.
- Have healthy, regular meals. This isn’t always easy to do, but it’s important for your long-term health.
- Get enough rest and sleep. Tiredness and exhaustion often add to the stress of caring.
- Look after your back if you need to lift or transfer the person you’re caring for. Get professional advice on the safest way to lift and any available aids to assist with lifting.
- Talk to your doctor about your caring role and the demands it makes on you.
Making time just for yourself
It may be helpful to make a habit of creating special time just for yourself. Don’t feel guilty about this, and make sure you don’t compromise too much on this time. Planning ahead can make this more achievable. For example, you may wish to do your chores when you have more energy and save a part of the day for yourself where you can stop rushing.Practise relaxation. This doesn’t need to take long – even 15 minutes a day can do the trick. Just sit and listen to music, relax or practise a simple meditation or stress-reduction technique.
Your checklist
It’s worth asking yourself a few questions on a daily basis, just as a way of checking in and making sure you’re coping:- Can I talk to someone I trust about the way I’m feeling?
- Am I getting regular exercise?
- Am I getting enough rest?
- Am I eating regularly
- Do I get enough breaks from my caring responsibilities?
- Am I getting enough time to exercise regularly?
What if I’m not coping?
Almost every carer will tell you about times they’ve been unable to cope. If you’re feeling this way it’s important to talk it over with your family, friends or your doctor. You can also contact 1800 200 422 for support and referrals. The Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS) can help you if you need assistance with a language other than English. TIS can be contacted on 13 14 50.Common questions on this topic:
- I only get a few minutes to myself each day - how can I best use this time to maintain my health?
- As I get older I don't want to eat as much as I used to - what foods should I eat to be sure I stay healthy?
See more common questions on this topic | See all common questions