Feeling Good Tips for Aboriginal Carers

• Take time out for yourself.
• Eat well!
• Don't be shame! Be game!
• Exercise!
• Try not to feel guilty.
• Spend time with people who make you feel good.
• Always have something planned to look forward to.
• Don't be too hard on yourself.
• Pamper yourself.
• Learn how to meditate.
• Try not to keep thinking "I should have done this or I should have done that".
• Get things off your chest.
• Don't feel shame about asking for help.
• Get information about the services that can help you.
• Join a Carer Support Group.
• Don't try and do too much.
• You have the power within to feel better.
• Spend some time in the bush
• Get plenty of sleep.
• Don't wait until you feel really stressed out before you ask for some help.

Take time out for yourself. As an Aboriginal Carer, you are likely to be looking after more than one person. It 's important that you take care of yourself as well, because you can easily become run down or sick if you forget your own health needs. Have a yarn with your local Aboriginal Worker about getting a break. You can also get help to plan a break by ringing the Commonwealth Carer Respite Centre on 1800 059 059* or the Commonwealth Carer Resource Centre on 1800 242 636* (contents)

Eat well! Watch what you eat. It's easy to eat food that's not good for you when you are doing a lot. Some carers have diabetes and other health problems so it is important to eat the right food so you don't become unwell. (contents)

Don't be shame! Be game! Speak out. If you're unhappy with a service, you have the right to let them know. Many people speak out when they are not happy with the service they are getting as a carer. Service Providers can only try to fix the problem if they know about it! If you are shy, it's a good idea to have a yarn with someone you trust who knows about services and get them to help you. (contents)

Exercise! Each day do some exercise you enjoy. It's important for your overall health and exercise helps you to feel less stressed. (contents)

Try not to feel guilty. All carers say that they feel guilty at times. When you have some time out, the idea is to enjoy yourself and unwind. It doesn't help anyone if you are feeling guilty about taking time out. It is good for both you and the person you look after to have some time out from each other and spend some time with other people. (contents)

Spend time with people who make you feel good. Why spend time you want to enjoy with people who have a bad effect on you? (contents)

Always have something planned to look forward to. (contents)

Don't be too hard on yourself. It's easy to think of all the things we feel we haven't done right but how often do we feel proud of what we have done right? It's important to value all the good things we do. (contents)

Pamper yourself. Some carers get massages. Some carers say they just like to take a really long bath. Whatever it is, your deserve to give yourself a reward sometimes! (contents)

Learn how to meditate. Meditation is a way of feeling calm and relaxed. Some carers find that they feel a lot less stressed once they learn how to meditate. Some Health Centres run Meditation groups. Ask your local Aboriginal Worker to help you find the closest group or you could listen to a Meditation or Relaxation Tape. You can get a free Carer's Relaxation Tape from the Commonwealth Carer Resource Centre by ringing 1800 242 636*. (contents)

Try not to keep thinking "I should have done this or I should have done that". Each time you say this you are being hard on yourself. Try to say I could, instead because this puts less stress on you. (contents)

Get things off your chest. Have a yarn with someone you trust. Don't keep things bottled up. We often think that we always have to be the strong one but even strong people need to have someone who will listen to them. Often just being able to yarn with someone about how things are helps you to feel a lot better. (contents)

Don't feel shame about asking for help. It doesn't mean you're weak. Sometimes carers feel shy about asking for help but feel a lot better when they do. Let family know if you need help and work out jobs they can do. They often feel good knowing they are helping. (contents)

Get information about the services that can help you. Ring your local ALO (Aboriginal Liaison Officer) or ring the Commonwealth Carer Resource Centre on 1800 242 636* to find out about the local services in your area. Some services help with transport to and from Hospitals and shopping. Some help with disabilities, counselling and other carer needs. (contents)

Join a Carer Support Group. It often helps to be able to yarn with other people who know what it's like when you're caring for someone.

People in the support group can often help each other by giving tips or advice about good services or things that can help you. There are Carer Support Groups where there are just women and you can yarn about women's business. There are also some groups just for men.

To find out where your nearest support group is ring the Commonwealth Carer Resource Centre on 1800 242 636*. Also see the Fact Sheet on Carer Support Groups. (contents)

Don't try and do too much. It's better to do a few things well than try and do too much and feel let down. (contents)

You have the power within to feel better. It's a waste of energy trying to change the way someone is. Sometimes carers say that the person they care for won't change their ways at all and this can make things hard at times. Trying to change the way someone is, usually doesn't work. But you can change the way you react! Instead of getting angry or upset, just say to yourself that's the way they are but I don't have to be like that too. (contents)

Spend some time in the bush or somewhere outside that is special to you. Spending too much time inside can make people feel tense. Just listening to the birds call or sitting near water or under a tree can help you to feel calm and relaxed. (contents)

Get plenty of sleep. Sleep helps you to cope. If you don't get enough sleep, you can become rundown. Try having a nap when the person you care for is being looked after by someone else or is asleep. You'll find you'll feel you have more energy afterwards. (contents)

Don't wait until you feel really stressed out before you ask for some help. There are people that care about you. Don't be shy to have a yarn with someone. You help someone, why not let someone help you? (contents)

1800 242 636* / 1800 059 059* Free call except from mobile phones. Mobile calls at mobile rates.