Talk to your health care team
It is important that you communicate to your health care team if you
- have any difficulties doing strenuous activities (eg. carrying a heavy shopping bag),
- have any trouble taking a walk outside of the house,
- need to stay in bed or a chair during the day,
- need help with eating, dressing, washing yourself or using the toilet,
- are limited in doing either your work or other daily activities, or
- are limited in pursuing your hobbies or other leisure time activities.
Support services
Many community support services offer practical assistance, but it is not always easy to find them. Below are the details of some organisations that can help you with various mobility related needs.
Commonwealth Carelink Centres
These centres are a useful first stop, providing free information on support services covering personal care, nursing, linen, domestic help and accommodation in nursing homes and hostels. Your local centre will also have information on other services in your area.
The information is available in 16 languages other than English and also caters for indigenous and vision-impaired people.
To contact the centres, you can phone Freecall 1800 422 737 , or visit your local Carelink Centre (phone the Freecall number for locations).
Assistance with personal care
Community nurses may be able to assist with showering, dressing and medical care. Your health care team can put you in touch with the services you need. Alternatively, you can contact your local community health centre (under “Community Health” in the telephone directory), or Carelink (details above) may be able to help.
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Life, Hope & Reality was developed and written by Afaf Girgis, Claire Johnson, and Sylvie Lambert with funding from the NHMRC and Cancer Council NSW.
Last updated 30 August 2015