The traditional festive season is upon us…putting up Christmas trees and decorations, pondering presents to give to others, planning for celebrations, what are we making or taking to lunches or dinners.
At the best of times, this is a hectic and sometimes stressful in the lead up to various events and on the day itself.
As carers there is the added pressure or a nagging thought in the back of our mind, knowing that places we rely on for health services and support, other than emergency services, may have a shutdown period. This may include the local GP, specialists, allied health professionals, or other essential services.
Sometimes we may also face an unexpected event or an emergency. It is helpful to get our ‘ducks in a row’ so that if an event happens, we can be as prepared as possible and still enjoy our time with family and friends. Here are some tips to think about.
Preparing for Emergencies
MND Australia provides some guidance around what to consider when planning for emergency care. It covers how to prepare and get help in an emergency, tools to help communicate the needs of a person living with MND and extra supports that are available in the Emergency department. Click here for more details.
When we think about person centred care, tools such as My Care Needs, MND Hospital Bedside Alert and the Paramedics MND tool are worthwhile talking through with the person you care for.
Carerhelp offers some helpful things to think about in an emergency which can be hard to remember in the moment, especially when under stress, and seeing your loved one in pain or distress.
In those moments, pre prepared plans such as Advanced care planning documents, Emergency Care plans and medication lists can reduce our stress levels and can help us to think clearly.
Paramedics are skilled professionals so it’s important to let them support you with their advice. Have a read of this handy document which outlines what you need to think about before an emergency arises and the situations when you might call an ambulance here.
Paramedics are experienced in caring for someone with an advance disease and as a carer we can assist them in working collaboratively by providing them with these plans when they arrive or over the phone, read more here.
Managing NDIS and My Aged care supports over the holidays
Remember to check cancellation policies for services if your plans need to change unexpectedly, lean on family and friends to support you in your caring role and keep essential supplies stocked up, such as medication, food and hygiene items, transport arrangements and check that equipment is in good working condition. For more ideas click here.
Do you need a break?.... don’t forget respite care
Sometimes the stress of caring can just creep up on us, you can be cruising along, and then out of nowhere, burnout can hit you like a mac truck. Before you get into the swing of the season’s merriment, have a quick peruse of this Carers NSW resource – 'Recognising the signs of carer stress' here.
If you know in yourself that the season may be too much to manage, don’t forget about respite care. It is important to make sure that you get a break, it can be essential for maintaining our resilience as carers. Aged Care Decisions outlines some options, including residential respite over the holidays, what to expect and how to prepare. Read more here.
Managing our emotions during the holiday season – how stress can manifest
Many of us feel the enormous pressure of ‘being on and happy’ during the holidays when we are seeing friends and family. This can put enormous pressure on you as carer to be everything to everyone and is not….realistic.
Keep up yourself carer strategies such accepting an offer of help, going for a walk to get some fresh air while listening to music, and catching up, where you can, on sleep.
Beyond blue offers some practical strategies and indicators that stress may be building up in non-obvious ways. It outlines how you might manage the seasonal stress leading up to and during the end of the year, including support that is always available to you if it all gets too much such as Lifeline and beyond Blue Counsellors. Read more here
Most of all be kind to yourself and give yourself a break, if things don’t go to plan that’s ok too.
