Family Caregiving
Supporting an Older Person With Poor Appetite
Gentle, practical ideas for families when an older relative is eating less, and clear signs for when to involve the GP.
NZ$24.99Buy
Family carer courses for whānau who care
Practical help for people caring for a parent, partner or relative, from organising care across the family to looking after your own wellbeing.
- 6 courses
- Tools in every course
- Certificate included
Many New Zealanders care for someone close to them: an ageing parent, a partner with a long-term condition, a disabled family member, or mokopuna they are raising. Care is often shared across households and generations, which brings strength and also a lot to organise. Support is available. An assessment by a NASC service (Needs Assessment and Service Coordination), arranged through a GP or hospital team, can open the door to home and community support and to Carer Support, which helps pay for breaks for the main carer. Work and Income can tell you about payments you may be eligible for.
Caring can be rewarding, and it can also be exhausting. Carer stress builds slowly and is easy to miss until you are running on empty. Our courses help you plan breaks, map the people who could help and notice the early signs that you need more support yourself.
The three courses are written by Dr Aqsa Mukhtiar, PhD in Nutrition, and include care plan templates, rotas, food and fluid charts and a stress tracker. Use them alongside, never instead of, guidance from the person's GP, nurse or care team.
All family caregiving courses
Family Caregiving
Supporting an Older Person With Poor Appetite
Gentle, practical ideas for families when an older relative is eating less, and clear signs for when to involve the GP.
NZ$24.99Buy
Family Caregiving
Managing Carer Stress
Look after yourself while you look after someone else, with a stress tracker, respite planner and a five-minute breathing reset.
NZ$29.99Buy
Family Caregiving
Managing Carer Stress
Look after yourself while you look after someone else, with a stress tracker, respite planner and a five-minute breathing reset.
NZ$29.99Buy
Family Caregiving
Building a Family Care Plan
One shared plan for the person you care for, with roles, contacts and emergency details ready for whānau, GPs and support services.
NZ$29.99Buy
Family Caregiving
Building a Family Care Plan
One shared plan for the person you care for, with roles, contacts and emergency details ready for whānau, GPs and support services.
NZ$29.99Buy
Choosing a carer course
- Building a Family Care Plan helps you write down care needs, share roles across the whānau and keep key contacts and emergency information in one place.
- Managing Carer Stress is about you: tracking stress, planning respite, mapping support and making a realistic self-care plan.
- Supporting an Older Person With Poor Appetite covers small meals, food and fluid charts, ways to tempt a small appetite and when to involve the GP.
What the caregiving tools do
- Care plan template and key contacts sheet: needs, routines, medicines list and who to call, ready to share.
- Roles and rota planner: who does what and when, across siblings, cousins and friends.
- Emergency information sheet: the details ambulance staff or a hospital will ask for.
- Stress tracker, respite planner and support map: see the pressure building and plan breaks before you need them.
- Food and fluid chart, small-meals planner and weight check log: a simple record to take to the GP.
When to get help
Contact the person's GP if they:
- are eating or drinking much less than usual, or losing weight without trying
- become suddenly more confused, drowsy or unwell
- have a fall or new difficulty swallowing
Look after yourself too. See your own GP if you feel exhausted, low or unable to cope, and free call or text 1737 at any time to talk with a trained counsellor. In an emergency, call 111. For health advice day or night, call Healthline free on 0800 611 116.
Family carer courses: your questions
Am I a carer if I am looking after family?
Yes. If you regularly help someone with daily life because of age, illness or disability, you are a family carer, even if you also see it simply as part of being whānau.
What is Carer Support?
It is a subsidy that helps pay for someone else to provide care so the main carer can take a break. Eligibility is decided through a NASC assessment, which a GP or hospital team can arrange.
How do I organise care when family live in different towns?
The care plan course shows how to split tasks that can be done from a distance, such as booking appointments or managing paperwork, from hands-on care, and keep everyone up to date with one shared plan.
What is an enduring power of attorney?
It is a legal document that lets someone you trust make decisions for you if you lose the ability to do so. The Office for Seniors explains how they work in New Zealand; the courses do not give legal advice.
Can I get financial help as a carer?
Some carers can get financial support. Work and Income can explain what you may be eligible for, based on your situation and the needs of the person you care for.
The person I care for barely eats. What can I do?
The poor appetite course suggests small, frequent meals and drinks and ways to make food more appealing, and shows how to keep a simple chart. Always tell their GP about weight loss or a big drop in eating.
Official sources
Get the care plan out of your head
Write down the routines, contacts and tasks this week, and share it so you are not the only one who knows.