Following diagnosis and during treatment, many people find the demands of home life difficult. Sometimes the responsibilities of parenting, household maintenance, meal preparation etc can present enormous pressure on the family.

There are a number of support services in the community to assist you, many offered through Community Health Services and Local Councils.

Home Support is grouped into the following sub-categories:

• Childcare
• Home and Living Aids
• Home Help
• Meals
• Palliative Care
• Respite Care

Remember that your treating hospital or GP can arrange for a Social Worker to assist you to source the support services you need.

You will find information about funding assistance in the Financial subcategory.

Childcare

Having young children at home can be an extra concern when you are receiving and recovering from your treatment. There are services available that provide occasional low or no-cost childcare with trained workers.

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Home and Living Aids

There are services offering living aids (eg seat belt cushioning), home alterations (eg hand rails) and home aids (eg shower seats). Many of these services are provided by Local Councils, Hospitals or Community Health Services.

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Home Help

There are community Home Help services which provide assistance with housework and general day-to-day needs.

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Meals

There are support services offering meals delivered to the home. There may also be commercial businesses in your area which offer this service.

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Palliative Care

Many Palliative Care services are able to visit in the home and provide valuable information and support for people with long term treatment needs.

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Respite Care

Respite Care services are designed to provide rest and support for people with a chronic or disabling illness. Both the person with cancer and their carer may need time out at some stage during their cancer journey.

Support such as day care, supported accommodation or support in the home may be available. This will depend on the particular Respite Service, and your individual needs.

Talk to your treating hospital Social Worker or your Specialist Cancer Nurse about such services and your eligibility to access them.

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