Support Programs

Managing the daily treatment of cystic fibrosis (CF) can be quite challenging, whether you are the parent of a newborn, young child, adolescent, or are an adult living with CF. We have a range of programs to help support you or the person in your life living with CF. Support is available via phone, video call or in the comfort of your own home.

Community Support Worker Service

CFWA have a Community Support Worker (CSW) service available in the metropolitan area to provide regular home visits to children and adults with CF. Our CSW program is funded by the Health Department of WA and offers assistance with airway clearance, nebulisation and exercise. Our CSWs receive regular training to provide them with the skills and knowledge they need to supervise treatments safely and effectively.

Practical home support including help around the house, as well as short term respite, is also available for families experiencing an acute change in circumstances. This may be the birth of a new baby or injury/illness.

This service is available for anyone with CF and can be accessed by referral from your CF team or you can contact our physiotherapist, Sam on sam.wallace@cfwa.org.au or phone 08 6224 4100

Cleaning

We can offer short term cleaning packages for people experiencing an acute change in circumstances. This is an 8-week package which provides 2 hours of cleaning a fortnight.

This program has specific criteria. Please contact Paula for more information on paula.wallace@cfwa.org.au.

Physio & Equipment

Our physio can help you with with physio advice and nebuliser support. We have a limited stock of portable nebulisers available for community members. Equipment is issued in consultation with the CF team.

If you would like more information please contact our physio via email sam.wallace@cfwa.org.au or phone 08 6224 4100.

Child & Family Therapy

CFWA offer one-on-one support and guidance with our experienced Child and Family Therapist, Mel. She can support the whole family; the child with CF, their siblings and their parents. Here are some of the services Mel can provide:

Occupational Therapy (OT)

Mel can provide practical solutions and support for any difficulties that arise in the family system, particularly when dealing with CF. This includes assistance with developing routines, calming and de-escalation and behaviour management techniques and parenting support.

For more information please contact Mel on mel.tibbitts@cfwa.org.au or 08 6224 4100.

Here are some tips from Mel for basic strategies you can implement at home to help your child:

Anxiety Support- Self-Soothe Support Box

A self-soothe support box is a grounding, sensory tool box to help in times of stress, anxiety or worry. It’s a great tool to have to hand that contains things that help ground your child, make them feel more relaxed and reduce symptoms of panic, anxiety, emotional distress or low mood.

Based on the sensory model for supporting anxiety and stress, the packs are created to support your child’s sensory preferences and contain items such as heat and weighted toys/blanket, fidget toys, auditory support (headphones, meditation etc), notebooks for journalling and mindfulness activities.

We hope these items will be useful to children and young people with CF experiencing anxiety or stress related to hospital admissions, procedures or indeed other aspects of life that cause heightened stress and anxiety.

For more information about this program or dealing with anxiety, please contact our OT Mel on mel.tibbitts@cfwa.org.au.

CF Kids Connect

CF Kids Connect is a safe, online space for kids with CF to connect via video and participate in group activities. The sessions are facilitated by our Child and Family Therapist, Mel, and are available to children with CF aged 5+ years.

Groups are kept small and are broken down into different age groups so that content is relevant, safe and appropriate. Each session has a different theme such as Lego, playdough, baking and more. The sessions aim to build friendships and connect kids living with CF across WA.

To learn more about this program and see our term planner, click here.

New participants are welcome at any time. If your child is interested in joining in, please contact Mel on mel.tibbitts@cfwa.org.au

CF Parents Connect

CF Parents Connect is an online playgroup and parent support group for parents of pre-school aged children with CF. The program hopes to create connection, friendship and a safe place to talk about all things parenting and beyond!

Facilitated by Mel (paediatric OT/child and family therapist) and Vic (social worker), our goal is to provide a space that is positive, supportive, informative and collaborative.

To learn more about this program and see our term planner, click here.

For more information, please contact Mel on mel.tibbitts@cfwa.org.au

Hospital Support

Child Support

Hospital Care Packs and Visits

We provide Hospital Snack Packs to Perth Children’s Hospital (PCH) which are distributed by your CF team as needed. You can ask on the ward if you would like one.

We can also deliver Hospital Care Pack full of activities to help keep your child busy during an admission, please contact us to arrange delivery. A CFWA Services team member can also visit on request to discuss services and support.

Please contact our team on services@cfwa.org.au to arrange any of the above.

Financial Support

We can offer financial assistance for hospital and clinic appointments to assist with travel and parking. Click here for more information and to apply.

First Hospital Admission

If your child is admitted to hospital for the first time, we have a ‘My First Admission’ video series which can help you prepare for the admission.

• Part 1: Admission Process
• Part 2 What to Expect
• Part 3 Dealing with Anxiety and Stress
• Part 4 Financial Considerations

We also have a First Hospital Admission factsheet.

Adult Support

Hospital Food Bag and Visits

If you’re an inpatient at Sir Charles Gairdner or Fiona Stanley Hospital, you can apply online for an Inpatient Food Bag made up of snacks and some toiletry items. Click here to select your food items and submit your bag request. We usually deliver bags one day per week. For any questions please contact the office at 08 6224 4100.

Financial Support

We can offer financial assistance for hospital and clinic appointments to assist with travel and parking. Click here for more information and to apply.

Pill Swallowing

Learning to swallow tablets can be difficult for children. Our OT Mel can work one-on-one with your child using positive reinforcement techniques to help them learn to swallow tablets. Your child will receive a certificate and prize once successful, as a reward for their hard work.

Watch our Pill swallowing video or read our factsheet below:

To set up a session or for more information, contact Mel on mel.tibbitts@cfwa.org.au.