LifeSupport Magazine Australia
  • Home
  • The magazine
  • Stories to share
    • Stories from the mag
  • News blog
  • Support directory
  • Products & services
  • Thank you

Keeping house
There are times when you will feel overwhelmed by the tasks of everyday life. The good news is that friends and family usually appreciate the chance to support you in a practical way, so don’t be afraid to ask. Community and volunteer services can also lend a hand.


Looking after your kids
Don’t be shy about asking family and friends to help by getting kids
to and from childcare and school, looking after them when you’re
at appointments or feeling unwell, and keeping them distracted with
outings when your energy is low. Organised childcare, including
before and after school care, can be a help at this time. If your
condition makes it hard for you to care for your child, you may be
eligible for priority access. If you’re worried about how older children
are coping, think about speaking to the counsellor at your kids’
school or ask your care team to put you in touch with a social worker.

Looking after your pets
If you live on your own with an animal companion and you need
to spend some time in hospital, you may be worried about finding
someone to look after your pet. Sometimes a friend can lend a hand,
otherwise you can try to get in contact with a volunteer animal carer
to give your pet a foster home for a while. Ask your vet, call the local
pet rescue organisation, or call the RSPCA (www.rspca.org.au).

Looking after your home
If you’re having real trouble keeping up with domestic chores like
washing and cleaning, ask for help. Friends and relatives are often
happy to lend a hand. Also see if you’re eligible for a government-run
Home and Community Care program (HACC). Assistance can
include personal care (like showering and dressing), basic domestic
maintenance, meals, nursing care and even help with transport.
Services and eligibility requirements vary from place to place. Go to
www.health.gov.au and follow the links to For consumers > Ageing >
Help to stay at home – community care > Home-based care
.

Shopping and cooking
If you can manage cooking for yourself but getting out to the shops
is a problem, think about switching to online shopping or using
a community- or volunteer-run shopping service. These shopping
services are usually organised at local council level and involve
transport from your door to the nearest big shopping centre, as well
as help getting shopping bags inside. To find out what’s in your area,
call your local council or the Cancer Council Helpline on 13 11 20.
If you’re eligible for a HACC program, you could also be eligible for
Meals on Wheels (www.mealsonwheels.org.au). For just a few dollars, the organisation delivers nutritious meals right to your door.

Getting around
Driving to and from appointments is a challenge when you’re feeling
stressed or unwell, especially when you’re in unfamiliar territory.
Paying for petrol and parking fees can also be expensive. To reduce
your stress levels, ask someone to be your driver, or see if your friends
and family can set up a roster. You might also be able to access
community- or volunteer-run transport services. Call the Cancer
Council Helpline on 13 11 20 to see if there is a service in your area.

Picture
Questions to ask
  • Can I get help managing my treatment at home?
    A community nurse can make regular visits to your home to check you’re managing your medications and give you advice on handling the side effects of some cancer treatments, such as mouth ulcers or skin rashes. Some services are free, others involve a small charge. Community nurses are usually coordinated by local Community Health Centres. Call the Cancer Council Helpline on 13 11 20 to find out where to access help. In country New South Wales, Can Assist (canassist.com.au) offers a VIVA Community Care package of services to people with cancer and their families. The package can include specialised nursing care as well as help with practical things like school drop-offs and grocery shopping. People using the service are asked to make a small financial contribution.
  • Are there any gadgets to help me?
    You can buy or hire all sorts of tools and devices to help maintain your independence and make life more comfortable at home. These include things like bed sticks to help you pull yourself in and out of bed when you’re feeling weak, shower chairs so that you can rest while washing, and electric recliner chairs. To find out where you can hire or buy these, call the Cancer Council Helpline on 13 11 20. 
    Specially designed ergonomic devices that make everyday tasks a little easier can be a big help when you’re suffering from fatigue. Go to the Independent Living Centres Australia website at www.ilcaustralia.org to find out more about clever devices for everything from computers to gardening to craft activities.

Picture
More help

Support for kids
www.nowwhat.org.au
The “Now What” website by CanTeen has information for kids whose parents have cancer. Follow the links to Information > Dealing with stuff > Finding support.

CanTeen
1800 CAN TEEN 
(1800 226 833)
www.canteen.org.au
or support@canteen.org.au
CanTeen also runs a counselling service for young people. Call the general number and ask to be put through.

Online shopping

National
Coles www.colesonline.com.au
Woolworths www.homeshop.com.au
Only Australian Groceries www.onlyoz.com.au
Aussie Farmers Direct (not NT or Tas) www.aussiefarmers.com.au

Sydney
Let’s Get Fresh www.letsgetfresh.com.au

Melbourne
Organic Angels www.organicangels.com

Central Vic
The Food Garden www.foodgarden.com.au

North Qld
Sprout Greener Grocers www.sproutonline.net.au

Perth
Ezy Shop www.ezyshop.com.au

Picture
Photo by Nick Cubbin

JO-ANNE JORGENSEN
Back in May 2009, Jo-anne Jorgensen felt a stabbing pain in the side of her breast. Scans found cancer. Facing the disease was daunting, but the single mum was most worried about looking after her son.

Jo-anne had two lumpectomies, then a mastectomy and a reconstruction. She is now on a low-fat oncology diet, which can reduce recurrence of her triple-negative* breast cancer by 42 per cent.

“When I was diagnosed, I got organised, arranging for my mum to stay and making a will. I have a son who’s eight, and it’s just us, so I wanted to put everything in order.

“Fear of not being able to look after my son influenced my decision not to have chemo. I was told it would only increase my survival rate by 3 per cent and I spoke to people about its impact and decided against it.

“The time I really needed help was when I was in hospital. Mum came down from Townsville for all the operations. When I was in hospital for 12 days for the mastectomy, Dad stayed two weeks and she stayed four.

“Mum had suggested I go to Townsville for the mastectomy so they could look after me at home. But it was hard enough trying to keep things normal for my son, who was already anxious about my illness, so I decided to stay in Sydney. Then I felt guilty that, after all her help, I was putting my mother out.

“The support from my social network was overwhelming. People dropped off meals and my friend Fiona took my son to school, picked him up, fed him and brought him home – along with soup for my dinner. After the mastectomy, friends took me grocery shopping for a month as I couldn’t lift things.

“Overall my journey was less traumatic than I’d imagined – and I’ve even got used to 
low-alcohol wine and low-fat cheese.”

* Triple-negative breast cancer has no receptors for oestrogen, progesterone or Her2.

INITIATED BY CHRIS O’BRIEN LIFEHOUSE | SUPPORTED BY CANCER GROUPS NATIONALLY