As a Male, You do have that Extra Strength - the know-how to put together a Team. YOUR Team. YOUR Way...
The Best way you can help your loved one is to get all the facts together, ask for the details, and above all,
Question what is appropriate for your loved one - at This Time...
This article gives some suggestions to have you thinking...
How to Create a Strong Support Team
(although this talks about cancer, this model can act as a blueprint to start giving you some ideas)
8 steps to pull together the help you'll need
To create a cancer support team, reach out to medical professionals - It takes a village to care for someone with cancer. Because the disease is multifaceted and affects so many aspects of a person's life, a number of different health professionals will be involved in the patient's care. And as time goes on, you'll need other services that can make her -- and your -- life easier. Then there are other services -- everything from a local handyperson to a grocery delivery service -- that can make the job of caring for someone less overwhelming.
As caregiver, you'll be like the captain of a sports team, making sure the right people are in the right positions and everyone's working together to win the game.
Here are the eight steps involved in putting together a best-of-footy care team.
1. Get to know the patient's doctor -- and the rest of the medical staff.
It's much easier to talk to people you know. As time goes on, you'll have lots of questions, and you're more likely to get helpful answers if the doctors know you. Tell the person in your care that you'd like to go to appointments with her primary care doctor, oncologist, and any specialists involved, such as surgeons. If she resists, a good ploy is to offer to take notes. Her oncologist will probably choose or recommend the other experts involved in her care, but that doesn't mean you can't meet them and make sure they're up to your standards. And if you've heard about a particular surgeon or other expert you'd like the person in your care to see, you can always ask the oncologist's opinion.
2. Introduce yourself to the receptionist, the nurses, and anyone else you come into contact with.
When you take the patient to pick up a prescription, stand nearby while the pharmacist goes over the instructions -- making sure both of you understand them -- and don't leave without introducing yourself to him, too. You never know when you may need to go back or call with additional questions. "As you and [the patient] figure out what you're going to do in terms of treatment, you also want to be thinking about who's going to help you do it," says Bonnie Bajorek Daneker, author of The Compassionate Caregiver's Guide to Caring for Someone With Cancer.
3. Ask the doctor what other services might be helpful, and ask for referrals.
You might be surprised how many other health professionals are available to help cancer patients cope -- and how often patients don't get referrals for those services unless they ask about them. Consider adding any or all of these to the team:
Question Builder:
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/question-builder
Prepare for your medical appointment by creating a list of questions to ask your doctor. Print or email the list so that it is handy to take to your appointment. This preparation will help you get more out of the time with your doctor and help you to remember everything you want to ask.
4. Notify the patient's dentist.
It can be hard to anticipate the issues that may come up during a cancer patient's care, and you don't want to be caught by surprise. You may, for example, want to have her contact her dentist and notify him of the cancer diagnosis, since dental issues can complicate cancer treatment. Ask the dentist if she should go in for a dental checkup to make sure there aren't any issues with gum disease or infection, which can contribute to some types of cancer. Also, chemotherapy and radiation can cause problems such as dry mouth and mouth sores, and you may want to enlist the dentist's help with these.
To create a cancer support team, also reach out to nonmedical or nontraditional support
You can help the cancer patient by considering a broad spectrum of non-medical helpers or alternative therapies, from acupuncture to masseuses and spiritual advisers. It's always best to talk to the patient's oncologist before starting complementary therapies, though, says Bonnie Bajorek Daneker, author of The Compassionate Caregiver's Guide to Caring for Someone With Cancer, to prevent any interactions between medications and herbs or supplements. Also, checking in with the doctor keeps him from thinking you're doing an end run around him.
5. Get referrals to alternative or complementary practitioners.
Depending on the patient's needs and tolerance for alternative approaches, you may want to get a recommendation for an acupuncturist, a Chinese herbal medicine specialist, or both. Acupuncture and acupressure are often helpful for pain management and nausea, and Chinese herbal medicine has been shown to help patients tolerate chemotherapy and cope with nausea and appetite loss. Massage is not only relaxing and helpful in combating stress, but can be beneficial for neuropathy. Since your loved one may never have visited these types of professionals before, it can help to start gathering recommendations ahead of time, so you're not caught off guard when she starts experiencing painful symptoms and needs help NOW.
6. Recruit help from neighbours and friends.
Identify other people who can play a supportive role and get to know them, too. Would it ease your mind to know the next-door neighbour was keeping an eye on the patient's house and would notify you if he heard strange noises or the lights didn't go on one night? Ask the person you're caring for if she knows her neighbours, and if so, ask her to introduce them to you. Even if she doesn't, you can still knock on the doors of the houses next door and introduce yourself. Once you explain the situation, most people will be eager to help. Ask for their phone numbers, and make sure everyone has yours posted near their phone.
Also, communicate as often as possible with family, friends, and members of the patient's community. If people know that you're overwhelmed and need help, they're usually more than happy to help out as much as you need them to. Let them know you're struggling, and you'll almost certainly be surprised by the outpouring of support you receive.
7. Investigate local services.
Maybe the local grocery store makes deliveries; check online or stop by and ask. This can save you a trip across town each time the patient needs milk or bread. Having a local gardener and handyperson on call can save you unnecessary visits to cope with a broken tree branch or leaky faucet, freeing you to help with the more important tasks of caregiving.
8. Contact the patient's religious organization.
If she goes to a church, synagogue, or mosque, contact the minister, rabbi, or other leader. Ask if the organization has volunteers who visit those who are ill; many religious institutions are used to providing such services to those in their congregations and may even have ideas for other ways they can help.
And don't forget to take care of yourself, too. If you start to feel isolated or alone at any point during the process of caring for the person with cancer, talk to her doctor about it. Many hospitals have a network of cancer support services that you can access when you need them.
with many heartfelt thanks for this most well research article. A Must Have resource to set you thinking.
with many thanks to Melanie Haiken, Caring.com senior editor
and https://www.webmd.com/cancer/features/cancer-support-tips-for-family-and-friends#1
--------------------------------
Mar 2, 2018
The Minister for Health has announced a new program that will trial new ways to provide palliative care services, delivering the right care at the right time, while also aiming to reduce hospitalisations. The Federal Government funds a pilot program so people nearing the end of their lives receive better care and treatment at home. The $8.3 million program will trial new ways to provide palliative care services, delivering the right care at the right time, while also aiming to reduce hospitalisations.
The Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care program will be rolled out in ten locations around Australia, enabling people living with a life limiting illness to receive care and treatment services in their home.
The program will be administered through Primary Health Networks across Australia, and will be coordinated with local and state services, as well as aged care providers. The trial ran until June 2020 and interested people and their families, in the trial areas, should contact their GP to discuss joining the program.
The ten Primary Health Networks which have been selected to take part in the trial include:
• Brisbane South;
• Central QLD, Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast;
• Gold Coast;
• South Western Sydney;
• Murrumbidgee;
• Western NSW;
• North Western Melbourne;
• Eastern Melbourne;
• Adelaide, and
• Country WA.
This could include services from a local GP, palliative, hospital and specialist care support, and community and social services – all coordinated to ensure the patient is supported. People will receive the right care at home, tailored to their own need, which will hopefully mean less trips to the hospital to access these services.
========================================
Medicare Indexation Schedule: Specialist procedures, allied health services and all other GP services will be indexed from 1 July 2019.
The Government will also introduce indexation for ultrasound, x-rays and other targeted diagnostic imaging services including mammography, fluoroscopy, CT scans and interventional procedures, from 21 January 2020.
A summary of the proposed indexation schedule is below. Specific Item Numbers affected by Medicare Indexation is attached. It is important to note that this table is based on the Medicare Benefits Schedule as at 1 April 2019, and may not be inclusive of all items to be indexed.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) information Information on how the Australian Government is monitoring and responding to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is available on the Health Coronavirus (COVID-19) webpage.
Temporary MBS telehealth and telephone items are available to support the response to Coronavirus (COVID-19). These items have been extended until 31 December 2021. Fact sheets with further information on these items can be found at the MBS temporary telehealth services page.
A factsheet is also available with further information on the additional 10 MBS Mental Health Sessions page.
Changes to Medicare Benefits Schedule Urgent After-Hours GP Services 1 March 2018 General Questions and Answers:
_______________________
and... to ask those niggling and awkward questions about what is this symptom?
When the Doctor says...
Ask "I want to understand My Own Treatment. How can I find out for myself..."
Does your loved one have Dementia? These guides will help you to converse with their medical team.
Medicines and dementia: what you need to know
Medicines do not have to be part of your care plan for dementia, and if they are, they do not have to play a large role in your life.
NPS MedicineWise and Alzheimer’s Australia have prepared downloadable materials to help you ask questions and talk with people close to you and the health professionals involved in your care about how you would like to be supported.
The main resource is an information booklet, designed to help you:
You can also access the Free Beyond the Basics (English) patient content in UpToDate by simply typing a term or phrase in the "Search Patient Content" box, or in the "Search UpToDate" in the upper right hand corner. Look up your specific question — anything from a symptom you're concerned about to a condition or treatment you've been discussing with your healthcare provider.
Remember to print the information you find in UpToDate so you can discuss it with your healthcare provider.
Use the Resource Trusted by Clinicians and Healthcare Practitioners Worldwide: NSW Health has bought a statewide licence to use the UpToDate clinical decision support resource from Wolters Kluwer and will integrate it with eHealth NSW’s Clinical Information Access Portal (CIAP) as of June 2016.
UpToDate provides access to medical calculators, drug information and drug interactions, links to full-text medical articles and patient education at the point of care. It can also be embedded in electronic medical records such as the Cerner system used in many NSW hospitals.
UpToDate® is the premier evidence-based clinical decision support resource, trusted worldwide by healthcare practitioners to help them make the right decisions at the point of care. It is proven to change the way clinicians practice medicine, and is the only resource of its kind associated with improved outcomes.
You can learn more about a medical condition and explore treatment options using UpToDate, the same resource trusted by more than 1.1 million clinicians around the world. After you read the information in UpToDate, you will have the tools and the confidence to ask the right questions and have important conversations with your healthcare provider.
05 July 2021
The Best way you can help your loved one is to get all the facts together, ask for the details, and above all,
Question what is appropriate for your loved one - at This Time...
This article gives some suggestions to have you thinking...
How to Create a Strong Support Team
(although this talks about cancer, this model can act as a blueprint to start giving you some ideas)
8 steps to pull together the help you'll need
To create a cancer support team, reach out to medical professionals - It takes a village to care for someone with cancer. Because the disease is multifaceted and affects so many aspects of a person's life, a number of different health professionals will be involved in the patient's care. And as time goes on, you'll need other services that can make her -- and your -- life easier. Then there are other services -- everything from a local handyperson to a grocery delivery service -- that can make the job of caring for someone less overwhelming.
As caregiver, you'll be like the captain of a sports team, making sure the right people are in the right positions and everyone's working together to win the game.
Here are the eight steps involved in putting together a best-of-footy care team.
1. Get to know the patient's doctor -- and the rest of the medical staff.
It's much easier to talk to people you know. As time goes on, you'll have lots of questions, and you're more likely to get helpful answers if the doctors know you. Tell the person in your care that you'd like to go to appointments with her primary care doctor, oncologist, and any specialists involved, such as surgeons. If she resists, a good ploy is to offer to take notes. Her oncologist will probably choose or recommend the other experts involved in her care, but that doesn't mean you can't meet them and make sure they're up to your standards. And if you've heard about a particular surgeon or other expert you'd like the person in your care to see, you can always ask the oncologist's opinion.
2. Introduce yourself to the receptionist, the nurses, and anyone else you come into contact with.
When you take the patient to pick up a prescription, stand nearby while the pharmacist goes over the instructions -- making sure both of you understand them -- and don't leave without introducing yourself to him, too. You never know when you may need to go back or call with additional questions. "As you and [the patient] figure out what you're going to do in terms of treatment, you also want to be thinking about who's going to help you do it," says Bonnie Bajorek Daneker, author of The Compassionate Caregiver's Guide to Caring for Someone With Cancer.
3. Ask the doctor what other services might be helpful, and ask for referrals.
You might be surprised how many other health professionals are available to help cancer patients cope -- and how often patients don't get referrals for those services unless they ask about them. Consider adding any or all of these to the team:
Question Builder:
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/question-builder
Prepare for your medical appointment by creating a list of questions to ask your doctor. Print or email the list so that it is handy to take to your appointment. This preparation will help you get more out of the time with your doctor and help you to remember everything you want to ask.
- A nutritionist or dietitian. An incredibly helpful resource in dealing with nausea, fatigue, and other cancer-related symptoms, a nutritionist or dietitian can recommend dietary changes to support the patient's cancer treatment. Nutritionists can spot nutritional deficits that may be undermining her health, recommend supplements, and provide meal suggestions and recipes to stimulate her appetite.
- A Physical Therapist. When the patient suffers from neuropathy and other types of pain, a physical therapist can teach her exercises to combat pain and maintain body strength. Also, a good physical therapist can make suggestions to combat pain in all aspects of life, recommending changes for ergonomic seating and better sleeping positions to make her more comfortable.
- Positioning and Lifting Patients in bed
And don't forget that when your loved one returns home from hospital, there is the added complication of making sure they are comfortable in their own bed. Do ask the visiting Nurse or Allied Health Worker to show you how to lift them up and make them comfortable in their bed. Do alert all visiting workers in the need to do this. You can ask the Nurse or Occupational Therapist to come in specially to teach them.
Have a look here so that you know how you can help them feel comfortable as a care worker is re-positioning and lifting them in their bed.
POSITIONING AND LIFTING PATIENTS-Title2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H68Sa04s_1s - A social worker. This is the person you want to be able to call when the patient is depressed, anxious, stressed, or fearful and your support isn't enough. A social worker can recommend support groups, access mental health services, and look at ways to deal with the many lifestyle issues that can arise in fighting cancer.
- A psychiatrist or psychologist. Depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues are common for people with cancer, and they can complicate treatment by interfering with her ability to take an active role in her own well-being. Psychologists can provide counseling and recommend or run support groups, while psychiatrists can prescribe medication, such as antidepressants and anti-anxiety drugs.
- A pain specialist. When prescribed painkillers aren't working or are creating complications, you'll want to call this expert. A pain specialist can evaluate the source and intensity of the patient's pain and find ways to treat it even when first-line medications aren't working. He can also coordinate with a physical therapist to come up with a two-pronged approach to treating her pain.
4. Notify the patient's dentist.
It can be hard to anticipate the issues that may come up during a cancer patient's care, and you don't want to be caught by surprise. You may, for example, want to have her contact her dentist and notify him of the cancer diagnosis, since dental issues can complicate cancer treatment. Ask the dentist if she should go in for a dental checkup to make sure there aren't any issues with gum disease or infection, which can contribute to some types of cancer. Also, chemotherapy and radiation can cause problems such as dry mouth and mouth sores, and you may want to enlist the dentist's help with these.
To create a cancer support team, also reach out to nonmedical or nontraditional support
You can help the cancer patient by considering a broad spectrum of non-medical helpers or alternative therapies, from acupuncture to masseuses and spiritual advisers. It's always best to talk to the patient's oncologist before starting complementary therapies, though, says Bonnie Bajorek Daneker, author of The Compassionate Caregiver's Guide to Caring for Someone With Cancer, to prevent any interactions between medications and herbs or supplements. Also, checking in with the doctor keeps him from thinking you're doing an end run around him.
5. Get referrals to alternative or complementary practitioners.
Depending on the patient's needs and tolerance for alternative approaches, you may want to get a recommendation for an acupuncturist, a Chinese herbal medicine specialist, or both. Acupuncture and acupressure are often helpful for pain management and nausea, and Chinese herbal medicine has been shown to help patients tolerate chemotherapy and cope with nausea and appetite loss. Massage is not only relaxing and helpful in combating stress, but can be beneficial for neuropathy. Since your loved one may never have visited these types of professionals before, it can help to start gathering recommendations ahead of time, so you're not caught off guard when she starts experiencing painful symptoms and needs help NOW.
6. Recruit help from neighbours and friends.
Identify other people who can play a supportive role and get to know them, too. Would it ease your mind to know the next-door neighbour was keeping an eye on the patient's house and would notify you if he heard strange noises or the lights didn't go on one night? Ask the person you're caring for if she knows her neighbours, and if so, ask her to introduce them to you. Even if she doesn't, you can still knock on the doors of the houses next door and introduce yourself. Once you explain the situation, most people will be eager to help. Ask for their phone numbers, and make sure everyone has yours posted near their phone.
Also, communicate as often as possible with family, friends, and members of the patient's community. If people know that you're overwhelmed and need help, they're usually more than happy to help out as much as you need them to. Let them know you're struggling, and you'll almost certainly be surprised by the outpouring of support you receive.
7. Investigate local services.
Maybe the local grocery store makes deliveries; check online or stop by and ask. This can save you a trip across town each time the patient needs milk or bread. Having a local gardener and handyperson on call can save you unnecessary visits to cope with a broken tree branch or leaky faucet, freeing you to help with the more important tasks of caregiving.
8. Contact the patient's religious organization.
If she goes to a church, synagogue, or mosque, contact the minister, rabbi, or other leader. Ask if the organization has volunteers who visit those who are ill; many religious institutions are used to providing such services to those in their congregations and may even have ideas for other ways they can help.
And don't forget to take care of yourself, too. If you start to feel isolated or alone at any point during the process of caring for the person with cancer, talk to her doctor about it. Many hospitals have a network of cancer support services that you can access when you need them.
with many heartfelt thanks for this most well research article. A Must Have resource to set you thinking.
with many thanks to Melanie Haiken, Caring.com senior editor
and https://www.webmd.com/cancer/features/cancer-support-tips-for-family-and-friends#1
--------------------------------
Mar 2, 2018
The Minister for Health has announced a new program that will trial new ways to provide palliative care services, delivering the right care at the right time, while also aiming to reduce hospitalisations. The Federal Government funds a pilot program so people nearing the end of their lives receive better care and treatment at home. The $8.3 million program will trial new ways to provide palliative care services, delivering the right care at the right time, while also aiming to reduce hospitalisations.
The Greater Choice for At Home Palliative Care program will be rolled out in ten locations around Australia, enabling people living with a life limiting illness to receive care and treatment services in their home.
The program will be administered through Primary Health Networks across Australia, and will be coordinated with local and state services, as well as aged care providers. The trial ran until June 2020 and interested people and their families, in the trial areas, should contact their GP to discuss joining the program.
The ten Primary Health Networks which have been selected to take part in the trial include:
• Brisbane South;
• Central QLD, Wide Bay and Sunshine Coast;
• Gold Coast;
• South Western Sydney;
• Murrumbidgee;
• Western NSW;
• North Western Melbourne;
• Eastern Melbourne;
• Adelaide, and
• Country WA.
This could include services from a local GP, palliative, hospital and specialist care support, and community and social services – all coordinated to ensure the patient is supported. People will receive the right care at home, tailored to their own need, which will hopefully mean less trips to the hospital to access these services.
========================================
Medicare Indexation Schedule: Specialist procedures, allied health services and all other GP services will be indexed from 1 July 2019.
The Government will also introduce indexation for ultrasound, x-rays and other targeted diagnostic imaging services including mammography, fluoroscopy, CT scans and interventional procedures, from 21 January 2020.
A summary of the proposed indexation schedule is below. Specific Item Numbers affected by Medicare Indexation is attached. It is important to note that this table is based on the Medicare Benefits Schedule as at 1 April 2019, and may not be inclusive of all items to be indexed.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) information Information on how the Australian Government is monitoring and responding to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic is available on the Health Coronavirus (COVID-19) webpage.
Temporary MBS telehealth and telephone items are available to support the response to Coronavirus (COVID-19). These items have been extended until 31 December 2021. Fact sheets with further information on these items can be found at the MBS temporary telehealth services page.
A factsheet is also available with further information on the additional 10 MBS Mental Health Sessions page.
Changes to Medicare Benefits Schedule Urgent After-Hours GP Services 1 March 2018 General Questions and Answers:
_______________________
and... to ask those niggling and awkward questions about what is this symptom?
When the Doctor says...
Ask "I want to understand My Own Treatment. How can I find out for myself..."
Does your loved one have Dementia? These guides will help you to converse with their medical team.
Medicines and dementia: what you need to know
Medicines do not have to be part of your care plan for dementia, and if they are, they do not have to play a large role in your life.
NPS MedicineWise and Alzheimer’s Australia have prepared downloadable materials to help you ask questions and talk with people close to you and the health professionals involved in your care about how you would like to be supported.
The main resource is an information booklet, designed to help you:
- plan a conversation about dementia with the people you choose, for example, your family and friends and health professionals involved in your care (eg, GPs, pharmacists, specialists, nurses)
- find out about advanced care planning
- find out what support is available to manage your symptoms
- find information on what treatment options may be best for you
- record details about symptoms, medicines, values and wishes when it comes to your care
- find out about support services available to help you and those closest to you
You can also access the Free Beyond the Basics (English) patient content in UpToDate by simply typing a term or phrase in the "Search Patient Content" box, or in the "Search UpToDate" in the upper right hand corner. Look up your specific question — anything from a symptom you're concerned about to a condition or treatment you've been discussing with your healthcare provider.
Remember to print the information you find in UpToDate so you can discuss it with your healthcare provider.
Use the Resource Trusted by Clinicians and Healthcare Practitioners Worldwide: NSW Health has bought a statewide licence to use the UpToDate clinical decision support resource from Wolters Kluwer and will integrate it with eHealth NSW’s Clinical Information Access Portal (CIAP) as of June 2016.
UpToDate provides access to medical calculators, drug information and drug interactions, links to full-text medical articles and patient education at the point of care. It can also be embedded in electronic medical records such as the Cerner system used in many NSW hospitals.
UpToDate® is the premier evidence-based clinical decision support resource, trusted worldwide by healthcare practitioners to help them make the right decisions at the point of care. It is proven to change the way clinicians practice medicine, and is the only resource of its kind associated with improved outcomes.
You can learn more about a medical condition and explore treatment options using UpToDate, the same resource trusted by more than 1.1 million clinicians around the world. After you read the information in UpToDate, you will have the tools and the confidence to ask the right questions and have important conversations with your healthcare provider.
05 July 2021