Carers
2.3 million Australians are providing care for family members or friends with a disability, mental illness, chronic condition or who are frail aged. This represents one in every five households.
Nearly 20% (450,900) of all people providing assistance are primary carers, that is they provide the main source of unpaid informal support. Without carers, many people would be institutionalised and community care as we know it would cease.
Conservative estimates show carers save our economy $16 billion annually. Carers are the major providers of community care services, delivering 74% of all services to people needing care and support. The Home and Community Care Program, worth over $800 million nationally, meets only 9% of this need.
Many carers are among the poorest, most disadvantaged people in our community. Over one-half of all full time carers recently reported incomes of less than $200 per week. While incomes are less, expenses usually go up and carers have to use up savings or superannuation, cut back on basic living costs or borrow money just to get by.
For families, friends, carers and workmates of people with Chronic Disease, understanding and coping with their conditon can can be confusing and present many challenges. Here are some useful links to organizations that work to improve the lot of carers.
A comprehensive Carer Service Directory has been developed by NCAHS staff, it provides information about a wide range of services across our region.
Carers of NSW INC.
This is a New South Wales group which provides a range of services and information to carers.
Commonwealth Carelink Centres These are information centres for older people, people with disabilities and those who provide care and services. Centres provide free and confidential information on community aged care, disability and other support services available locally, interstate or anywhere within Australia.
The National Commonwealth Carer Resource Centre
The National Commonwealth Carer Resource Centre website provides excellent resources about the range of services, allowances, and support available to carers in Australia.
The National Commonwealth Carer Resource Centre facilitates the development and implementation of a comprehensive national communication and information program for carers.
The National Commonwealth Carer Resource Centre works to:
- adopt a role of national responsibility for meeting carer information and support needs
- provide support to the State and Territory Commonwealth Carer Resource Centres and assist to maintain a nationally consistent focus on all carers
- coordinate information resources for the Commonwealth Carer Resource Centres and act as a central resource point for information materials
- develop and distribute linguistically and culturally appropriate information products for carers
- develop a network of contacts and information on resources for carers