Carer Support Line 1300 554 660

Category: Communication

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Carer Story

National Volunteer Week

Former Australian Politician Elizabeth Andrew once said “volunteers do not necessarily have the time, they have the heart”. This wonderful group within our community numbers almost 6 million nationwide and without them, many of those who are vulnerable and at risk would not receive the support they need.   From 17 – 23 May we celebrate and recognise our volunteers, the unpaid workers among us who donate their time to help those in need. The theme for this year is Recognise. Reconnect. Reimagine.   At Arafmi, we are very lucky to have volunteers who help us facilitate some of our carer support groups as well as working with our telephone support line for carers. Louise and Sharni are two such volunteers, and as part of National Volunteer Week this year, we sat down with them both to chat about what it’s like to volunteer. Thank-you to Louise and Sharni for taking the time to share their volunteering story with us and allowing us to share it with you. Here’s to all the volunteers out there who offer up their time to help others in need. Thank-you for making the world a better place. Louise Volunteer Telephone Support Worker 28 years with Arafmi Louise and her husband Roger first discovered Arafmi when their teenage son was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 1993. When I asked Louise where they

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Arafmi Digital Connections Program
Communication

Arafmi Digital Connection Program

We don’t want carers missing out on online carer support simply because they don’t have the tools. Thanks to additional funding from QLD Health, we are able to provide a library of tablets for carers to use to access online carer support and educational materials. If you don’t have a computer, device or a phone at home, and you don’t have the internet – this program is for you.  Please call us on 07 3254 1881 or fill out the form below and we will take you through the application process. Application Form

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Communication

Arafmi Carer Advisory Committee

Arafmi is establishing a Carer Advisory Committee to ensure the Arafmi Board can continue to strengthen their connection with carers and their understanding of carers needs. The Carer Committee will meet four times a year with board representatives, the CEO and Service Delivery Manager – Carer Supports. These meetings will ensure there is direct contact between the board and carers. The committee will identify present and emerging needs of carers, discuss and share recommendations and ensure carer’s needs remain central in Arafmi planning, decision making and advocacy. Carer Committee members will be reimbursed for their time and travel to acknowledge their contributions and commitment. Members will also have the option to join via Zoom. If you are passionate about carer’s needs and seeking an opportunity to connect directly with the board and make real differences in outcomes for carers at Arafmi and in the broader community we would love to hear from you. Please read the information sheet to find out more about this opportunity. If you are interested in applying to become a member you are asked to complete the application form below by Tuesday, 6 April and then we will be in touch with you. If you have

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Carer Story

Young Carers Survey – Date Extended

Are you a young person aged 9-24 who provides unpaid care/support or spends extra time looking after someone who needs assistance?

If you do, we would like to hear from you!

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Anxiety

Arafmi’s Response to COVID-19

In order to help alleviate any questions or fears you may have about our supports and services during the Coronavirus Pandemic, we have put together some frequently asked questions for you. The overall message we would like to convey is: please don’t worry. We will keep you updated if anything changes.  What happens if my regular Support Worker becomes ill?  All support workers have been instructed not to come to work if they become ill. Currently, all Arafmi staff are healthy and well and are aware of all the protocols around staying well and reducing infection. Arafmi have got a large pool of staff so we will endeavour to find you alternative support. We may need to change your shift time to provide this but please bear with us if this occurs. We will place priority on clients who are at risk of abuse or neglect. If we need to change your shift, we will communicate directly with you.  Once your regular support worker has medical clearance to return to work, they can continue to provide you with your required supports.  What if I become ill?  If you are experiencing any flu like symptoms, please advise your support worker and notify the Arafmi office staff as soon as practical.  Please also advise

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Anxiety

You are not alone this Christmas

Christmas is a festive and joyful time for some, but unfortunately it can be a difficult and challenging time for others. Loved ones and carers may have unpleasant memories of previous Christmas seasons or they may feel surrounded by triggers such as alcohol and noise. Not everyone has a family or close friends to spend Christmas with and loneliness may be felt more strongly than usual. Carers have to deal not just with their own expectations and hopes for Christmas but also with their loved ones. If you are one of those carers, we understand that this can be stressful, so it’s important to be kind to yourself and look after yourself. Please remember that there are services out there still operating during the Christmas period and if it all gets too much, please call the Arafmi support line and we will welcome and support you. You are not alone. Here is a link to some available services in Brisbane over the Christmas period. 24 Hour Helpline If you have any questions about this article or need someone to talk to, you can call Arafmi any time of the day on 07 3254 1881. It’s comforting to know that when you

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Communication

We are moving

It’s true! After many moons in New Farm, Arafmi is off to a new home – albeit just around the corner. We’re a little sad, but very excited about moving to our new place. We wanted to share this news with you and answer any questions you may have.\ Where is it? Our new address will be 24 Chermside Street, Teneriffe. It’s not far from our current location, but here’s a map so you can check it out. Where can I park? |ur new premises has quite a lot of 9h carparks around us, as well as a couple right in front of the door. We may also be able to utilise some carparks at Kui down the road. Where’s the nearest bus stop? There are quite a few bus stops close to 24 Chermside Street. The closest one would be Harcourt Street (Stop ID 010351), at Hough Lane Teneriffe. For TransLink Public Transport options visit TransLink website or Call 13 12 30, 24 hours a day. Will the workshops still be inhouse? Yes, our workshops will continue to be held within our offices, it just means you’ll travel to 24 Chermside Street, Newstead. When are you moving? Our moving

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Communication

Personally Preferred Ways Of Communicating – The 5 T’s

Did you know that there are five main ways of relating to other people? Here at Arafmi Ltd, we call them the “5 T’s”. Briefly, they can be described in the following way: Talk: you like to express yourself with words. Task: doing things for other people is how you communicate. Time: spending time with people is how you relate to others. Touch: a tactile person will convey their message through touch. Things: giving of objects or gifts is another way to relate to others. Similar to the five love languages, these describe ways in which we prefer to communicate and relate with others. Whilst we use all of these ways to convey a message, we do tend to favour only one or two. Similarly, others also tend to favour one or two of these styles. Generally we like to give care and concern in the same way we prefer to receive it. Let’s take a mother for example. This mother may show her love for her family by completing tasks – lots and lots of tasks. Making the kids lunches, cooking dinner, doing the laundry etc. She would love it if her family, without being asked, did little tasks

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