Services and support to help carers
Across Australia, 1 in 9 people (around 3 million people) are providing care for someone living with disability, a medical condition, mental illness or frailty. They are known as unpaid carers.
Taking on a carer role can have an impact on an unpaid carer’s career, social life, education and financial security, which can all affect their physical and mental health. Read on to find out more about the available supports and services you can share with carers who look after your patients and your patients who are carers themselves.
Recognising your patients who are also carers themselves
Some carers start helping someone in small ways and their support increases over time. Others become a carer suddenly due to an accident or illness.
Carers might help with day-to-day activities such as personal care, taking people to appointments, or managing medication for someone. They also provide valuable emotional and social support. Their support might complement or substitute paid care.
Because carers come from a variety of backgrounds and have varying lived experience, a carer might:
be a family member, friend or neighbour of your patient
be young or old and of any gender
not necessarily live with the person they care for
provide care every day, or a few hours a week.
Free support for carers – resources for your patients
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing recognises that gaps in knowledge in the community about unpaid care means many carers are going without the support they need.
Visit the Australian Government website to find out more about the free services and supports available for carers.
If your treat a patient who looks after a family member or friend, the Carer Gateway can help them with free emotional and practical support.
The National Carer Strategy
The National Carer Strategy 2024-2034 (the Strategy) was co-designed with carers across Australia to reflect their vast diversity, needs and challenges, to support them in their caring role.
The Strategy aims to ensure carers:
• can access supports and services at the right time and in the right way
• have more opportunities for work, education and training
• have access to supports that safeguard their physical and mental health.
The Strategy also aims to improve awareness of the services available to carers, such as those offered through Carer Gateway.
More information for health professionals
For primary care assessment and management advice, please visit the Brisbane South HealthPathways intellectual disability page.
Resources and services for supporting older persons are available on the PHN’s older person health page.
Visit Brisbane South HealthPathways for localised referral pathways, information and guidance on palliative care.