Carers are often focused on the immediate challenges of caring that it can be difficult to find time to make emergency or long-term plans, or to make sure their expertise is passed on to people who can cover for them when needed.

The vision of Carers NSW is for an Australia that values and supports all carers. It emphasises the value of planning ahead through:

• Emergency Care Plans
• Putting in place an Enduring Power of Attorney
• Creating an Advance Care Directive
  

An Emergency Care Plan is a document that provides instructions and guidance to allow
someone else to step in and provide the care which you would normally provide.

It can give reassurance to carers that if anything should happen to them, the person they care for will still receive the support they need.

A General Power of Attorney gives someone the legal ability to act on someone else’s behalf in financial matters such as paying bills and managing money if for any reason they are unable to manage financial matters themselves.

An Enduring Power of Attorney will operate when a person can no longer make decisions or act on their own. A person must appoint their enduring power of attorney before they lose capacity.

Enduring Power of Attorney arrangements can be made so that they come into effect immediately or remain dormant until a specific event or circumstance arises.

Advance care planning is an important part of planning for the future, particularly for people who are older and frail, or who have a chronic illness, disease, and early cognitive impairment, or are approaching their end of life.

For step-by-step advice on how carers can plan ahead, visit the Carer’s NSW website here.

Source: Carers NSW.