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Carers ACT

Self-care tips for carers

Look after your physical health:

Be Social:

  • Keep in touch with friends via phone/Skype/WhatsApp/Messenger
  • Keep in touch with family via phone/Skype/WhatsApp/Messenger
  • Keep in touch with neighbours via phone/Skype/WhatsApp/Messenger. Ideas for engagement include asking grandchildren or local children to practice their musical instrument or put on a performance in your front garden.
  • Join an online choir. Check out Pub-Choir-to-Couch-Choir and The-Sofa-Singers both can be found online.

Look after your mental health:

  • Mental Health Australia E-Guide: Looking after your Mental health during a pandemic
  • Seek mental stimulation examples of which could include having a jigsaw puzzle on the go, doing word or number puzzles (can be on paper or online) or start a creative project.  Read our Thrive Guide for more ideas on self-care
  • Endeavour to be kind to yourself with positive inner dialogue
  • Put aside an area just for you. It could be a room, a chair or a spot in the garden where you can relax and be comfortable
  • Write in a journal or diary
  • Listen to a podcast. Here are just a couple of suggestions that are not current affairs:
    -Strong Songs (breaks down and discusses the secrets of famous songs)
    -Everything is Alive (An unscripted interview show in which all the subjects are inanimate objects)
  • Re-read a favourite book or re-watch a favourite movie or TV series
  • Feed birds in your garden
  • Allow yourself to cry
  • Allow yourself to laugh
  • Take part in activities and seek out opportunities to acknowledge and express your feelings. Some examples include:
    -Phone Counselling: https://counselling.carergateway.gov.au/s/
    -Carer Gateway forum: https://forum.carergateway.gov.au/s/
    -Peer group support: https://www.carersact.org.au/support-groups/
    -Carer Self-Guided coaching:  https://coaching.carergateway.gov.au/

Consider your spiritual health:

  • Connect with your spiritual believes
  • Meditate
  • Do breathing exercises
  • Celebrate milestones with rituals that are meaningful to you
  • Practice yoga. A few options include: Yoga with Adrienne. This is free on Youtube. Down Dog is a free yoga app.

Great Information & Articles:

The Complete Guide to Insomnia – and how you can manage it:

https://howtosleep.co.uk/guides/the-complete-guide-to-insomnia 

Your Survival Guide to Staying at Home:

https://theconversation.cmail19.com/t/ViewEmail/r/704E557F6B12255A2540EF23F30FEDED/9F1EE7E728FEECE27EEA1DAE616D4B3C

The Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 We Aren’t Talking About

Excellent analysis from Shine magazine: https://advice.shinetext.com/articles/the-mental-health-impact-of-covid-19-we-arent-talking-about/

I Spent a Year in Space, and I Have Tips on Isolation to Share
Take it from someone who couldn’t: Go outside.

Scott Kelly, a retired NASA astronaut, wrote this opinion piece for the New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/21/opinion/scott-kelly-coronavirus-isolation.html

Australian Government & Community Services Resources

Government 

 Mental health 

 Parenting and Children 

 Resources for Young People  

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