Grace’s father had a stroke when she was born, so she helps her mother manage the household. She’s been a carer since she can remember and says young carer events put on by the Benevolent Society have helped her connect with others like her.
Vito’s mother has grown frail with age, so he tends to her needs as well as his own. He has had difficulty finding time for himself, but accessing counselling through Carer Gateway has helped him to cope and provide better care for his mum.
Grace and Vito are among the 2.7 million Australians who provide unpaid care for a friend or family member with disability and a medical condition.
Many carers don’t see themselves as carers
“Most people who provide ongoing care for a loved one don’t see themselves as carers,” says Michael Woodhouse, executive director of disability, ageing and carers with the Benevolent Society.
“Many will spend part of their lives caring for a partner, parent, child, friend or family member who is ageing, living with disability, mental health concerns or long-term illness. Caring can be a stressful and isolating experience, but carer support services can make a big difference supporting the people who support others,” Woodhouse says.
Unfortunately, many people don’t think about the help and support that they need, particularly when they’re caring for someone over a long period of time. “Many people are just doing what needs to be done to care for someone they love,” Woodhouse says.
“Taking care of your own needs first can help protect you from feeling overwhelmed, which directly impacts your caring ability. Carer Gateway offers practical assistance and support to make the caring role more manageable and improve your wellbeing.”
Carers with more support have higher wellbeing
The 2021 Carer Wellbeing Survey found that 64% of carers felt they didn’t have time for themselves. The same survey found that carers who have more support – access to help from family or friends, financial or peer support, counselling or coaching – have higher wellbeing.
One of the barriers to getting help is not knowing that services such as Carer Gateway exist. Carer Gateway is an Australian government initiative providing services and support for carers. This is a free national service for people caring for a loved one. The Benevolent Society is one provider operating within metropolitan Sydney.
Louise Davis is a Carer Gateway counsellor working with the Benevolent Society. She describes her role as “caring for those who do the caring” and has supported carers with different caring journeys from ages 12 to 98.
“The diversity in carers’ lives is vast,” Davis says. “Not only in age, but in why they find themselves in a caring role. Whether they’re caring for their loved one at the end stage of life or through childhood, teen years or adulthood, love and commitment is rarely enough to fuel them. There are many other supports a carer can benefit from.
“Some needs are universal: to be validated, encouraged and connected with someone who relates well to what is happening in their isolated experience. But if someone is caring for someone suffering at the end of life, this carer will have different needs to a carer who is supporting a child with a disability.”
Carers can benefit from specific types of support
Davis adjusts her counselling support to the situation the carer is in. She offers grief and loss counselling to carers and provides adjustment support when a carer is moving an elder, perhaps a parent or grandparent, into full-time care. She focuses on communication skills for carers needing advocacy support and helps carers build support networks to reduce stress.
“Each carer’s situation is unique, so having a one-size-fits-all solution is not effective,” Woodhouse says. But the Carer Gateway program offers a personalised approach. “If carers’ specific needs are met, they’ll be happier and more likely to keep caring for the important people in their lives.”
Quick GuideWhat can you get through Carer Gateway?
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Carer Gateway offers counselling, coaching, peer support, online skills courses and both emergency and planned respite care. These services are available for free to anyone across Australia who is caring for a family member or friend who is living with disability, a long-term medical condition, mental illness, alcohol or drug dependency or someone who is frail due to age.
The Carer Gateway team offers free consultations to tailor support and services to meet your specific caring needs and improve your wellbeing. Consultations focus on seven areas that impact carer wellbeing including your health, your caring role, your emotional health, your finances and how you manage at home and rest.
You can access these services from anywhere in Australia for free by calling 1800 422 737 between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Select option 1 to be directed to your local Carer Gateway service provider or arrange a call back at a time that suits you. You can also visit the website to access online services including self-guided coaching, skills courses and a carer forum at carergateway.gov.au or find your local service provider.
Get in touch with the Carer Gateway team to access free services and support to help you in your caring role. Call 1800 422 737 to be directed to your local service provider. You can also request a call back at a time that suits you or visit the Carer Gateway website.