To get the support you need.
Getting help
Palliative care involves many people supporting and caring for a person experiencing a serious illness, dying, death and grief. It involves people helping in different ways, in different times and with different skills.
A study conducted by La Trobe University in 2019 found that:
- People often don’t ask for help
- People often don’t accept help
- People often don’t offer help
- People often want to help
La Trobe University Palliative Care Unit (2019). The HELP Information Guide. Downloaded from website on the 1 February 2021: https://www.latrobe.edu.au/public-health/research/centres/palliative-care-unit/research/help
HELP App
”Despite their willingness to do so, people don’t know what to offer or how to offer help”
– Healthy End of Life Project (HELP)
”Carers’ automatically declined offers of help, despite needing it, and often despite having rich social networks.”
– Healthy End of Life Project (HELP)
Build your own end-of-life care networks with our free HELP app
Tips for you to practice accepting help from others
- Allow yourself to be vulnerable
- Examine your beliefs on receiving
- Give others an opportunity to give
- Pay it forward instead of returning it
- Feel the love and be grateful
- Practice accepting help everywhere
HNC International (2020). 6 Ways to accept help when its uncomfortable. Downloaded from website on the 1 February 2021: https://www.hncsupport.org/6-ways-to-accept-help-when-its-uncomfortable/
What to do when someone doesn’t want help?
- Be available
- Offer help
- Become informed
- Don’t force the issue or put pressure on them
- Don’t avoid them
Reach Out (2021). What to do when someone doesn’t want help. Downloaded from website on the 1 February 2021: https://au.reachout.com/articles/what-to-do-when-someone-doesnt-want-help/
Healthy End of Life Plan (HELP) for individuals and families
With a HELP plan, your family, friends and neighbours will know how they can help. By giving people a clear idea of what you need, when you need it (and what you don’t need!), a HELP plan makes it easier for them to support you.
Download the step-by-step guide to creating a HELP plan for yourself or someone you care about.