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A carer is a family member, parent, partner, significant other, friend or neighbour who provides care on an unpaid basis. The individual they support may have a chronic illness, disability, mental illness, be frail and or dependent. There are over 2.3 million unpaid carers in Australia. This represents approximately one person in every five households. Carers are often family members and 79% of primary carers care for a person in the same household. The job of a carer can be a very rewarding one, though caring can also have detrimental impacts on the carer. It influences the wellbeing of the carer as needs and wants are harder to meet. The physical, emotional and socio-economic aspects of wellbeing can be hindered due to the stress, isolation and the demand of time that is involved in caring. Therefore for countless carers, the demands of the caring role means that support services play a vital role in maintaining their own wellbeing and their ability to continue and sustain the level of care they provide. Carers’ support groups specialise in offering advice and support for carers. As caring is such a big responsibility, carers’ will often need to seek the support of others in similar situations or with expertise in a related area. There a wide range of services available for Carers’ these include: Carer Support Groups which allow people of similar circumstances to get together and share experiences, feelings, ideas, concerns, information and problems allowing carers to relax and have an opportunity to take a break, socialise, learn from other carers and rejuvenate. Community Health Centres that offer a variety of services that may include child health, counselling, speech therapy, physiotherapy, community nursing and mental health. Food Services are available in circumstances where individuals have difficulty preparing meals to home, food services can deliver nutritious meals to their homes or provide meals at a centre. Home Help services assist carers’ with practical tasks at home eg cleaning, shopping. Home Maintenance and Modification where assistance can be provided for essential home repairs and modification. This may include installing safety ramps for disabled individuals etc. Home Nursing: A trained nurse can visit individuals in their homes to improve or maintain their health. They may provide assistance with personal hygiene, medication, and injections.
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