Aim
The aim of this project is to ensure that CarerHelp (www.carerhelp.com.au) is accessible to a diverse population of Australian family carers including:
- Carers whose primary language is not English;
- Carers who identify as being form a different cultural group (such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, refugee and migrant groups, or people born overseas);
- Carers who have poor literacy;
- Carers who are vision or hearing impaired and may require their information in a different format;
- Carers who are unable or unlikely to use the internet for information and may prefer to receive that information through a support person or cultural leader.
Research Overview
CarerHelp is an online resource which supports Australians who are caring for a partner, relative or friend who is at the end of life. CarerHelp consists of a range of factsheets, useful templates, links and videos of both health professionals and family carers talking about end of life care. This evidence based resource has been developed with the input of consumers, health professionals, researchers and relevant National organisations and has been funded by the Department of Health.
CarerHelp was launched in October 2019 and is being used by around 1000 Australians each month as a source of information to guide end of life care. The new funding will focus on ensuring that CarerHelp is also reaching a diverse population of Australian family carers. The methodology will involve developing a National Reference Group of key stakeholders that represent a range of diverse populations as well as substantial consultation with community groups. The project will also conduct a scoping study to ensure that CareHelp links to relevant quality resources that are already available for diverse groups, identifies gaps in resources and develops new resources that meet the needs of carers from diverse populations.
Project Team
- Associate Professor Mark Boughey, Director of Palliative Care, St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne, and Deputy Director of Centre for Palliative Care, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne
- Professor Jennifer Tieman, Caresearch, Flinders University
- Dr Kristina Thomas, Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Palliative Care, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne
- Di Saward, Research Nurse, Centre for Palliative Care, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne
- Alfreda Soetopo, Administrative Officer, Centre for Palliative Care, St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne
Key Contact
Dr Kristina Thomas
Email: kristina.thomas@svha.org.au
Funding source
This project has been funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health through their National Palliative Care Project grant round (2020-2023).
Key Publications
None as yet.
