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What carers do
Every caring situation is different. What you need to do will vary depending on the situation and will usually change over time. It often involves a wide range of tasks and sometimes means that you need to learn a new range of skills.
Learn more about:
- Overview
- Medical care
- Practical support
- Financial matters
- Planning for the future
- Communicating with others
- Emotional support
- Long-distance caring
Overview
Below is a summary of some of the key tasks and skills that are often involved in caring.
Medical care
- Advocate for the person with cancer
- Work with the health care team
- Monitor and report symptoms and treatment side effects
- Keep records of appointments, test results and treatments
- Navigate the health care system, and Medicare and Centrelink payments
- Manage and give medicines
Practical support
- Look after the home, keeping it safe and comfortable
- Manage family responsibilities, such as caring for children or parents
- Provide transport to treatment
- Help with personal care
- Encourage exercise
- Prepare meals
- Do shopping
- Look after pets
Financial matters
- Help the person see a lawyer to make legal arrangements for the future, such as a will and advance care directive
- Ensure advance care directives are uploaded to myhealthrecord.gov.au and take witnessed copies with you to appointments
- Arrange for the person to get professional advice to help them manage the financial impact of cancer
- Talk about end-of-life plans
Emotional support
- Offer companionship
- Be an active non-judgemental listener
- Provide encouragement, comfort and understanding
- Arrange professional support if needed
- Keep family and friends up to date
- Negotiate care and responsibilities with others
- Talk about other things aside from cancer
Listen to our podcasts on Cancer Affects the Carer Too and How to Help Someone with Cancer
More resources
Dr Laura Kirsten, Principal Clinical Psychologist, Nepean Cancer Care Centre, NSW; Mary Bairstow, Senior Social Worker, Cancer Centre, Fiona Stanley Hospital, WA; Anne Booms, Nurse Practitioner – Supportive and Palliative Care, Icon Cancer Centre Midland, WA; Dr Erica Cameron-Taylor, Staff Specialist, Department of Palliative Care, Mercy Hospice, Calvary Mater Newcastle, NSW; Tracey Gardner, Senior Psychologist, Cancer Counselling Service, Cancer Council Queensland; Louise Good, Cancer Nurse Consultant, WA; Verity Jausnik, Senior Policy Officer, Carers Australia; David Larkin, Cancer Supportive Care Manager, Canberra Region Cancer Centre, Canberra Hospital and Health Service, ACT; Kate Martin, Consumer; John McMath, Consumer; Simone Noelker, Physiotherapist and Wellness Centre Coordinator, Ballarat Regional Integrated Cancer Centre, VIC; Tara Redemski, Senior Physiotherapist – Cancer Care, Gold Coast University Hospital, QLD; Dean Rowe, Consumer; Chris Sibthorpe, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council Queensland.
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Support services
Support for carers
Cancer Council NSW offers support online, over the phone and in person and can link you to our practical support services
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Pro bono services, financial and legal assistance, and no interest loans
Cancer information
What is cancer?
How cancer starts and spreads
Caring for someone with advanced cancer
Discussing wishes and coping with grief
View our publications
Guides and fact sheets for people with cancer, their families and friends