In this news article we will be talking about who is a carer, many of us don’t realise that we are in fact a carer for someone. This a first in a series carers and their needs and supports available.
What and who is a carer
We all recognise that someone is a carer when they are looking after a family member. However, a carer may be someone caring for a person in the neighbourhood, a grandparent caring for their grandchildren while the parent keeps a fulltime job, or you may be taking an aunt to do her weekly shopping.
The definition for a carer (Under the Australian Government Carer Recognition Act 2010), is someone who provides personal care, support and assistance to another individual who needs it because they have a disability, a medical condition, a mental illness or is frail aged.
We recommend all carers register with the Carers Gateway.
Carer Gateway
The Carer Gateway is an Australian Government program providing free services and support for carers. It has a website and phone helpline to assist carers to find and access support in their caring role.
The Carer Gateway provides a range of free advice and support for carers, these are delivered in-person, online or over the phone. There are many support services which include:
- In person and online peer support groups
- Tailored support packages
- In person and phone counselling
- In person and online self-guided coaching
- Online skills courses
- Access to emergency respite
For further support and advice please call the Carer Gateway Contact centre on 1800 422 737, Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm local time or visit their website.
In our next issue we will be discussing Carers Respite and the different respite support services.
