Translated & Accessible resources

Having support can help if you’re caring for your loved ones

Do you take care of someone close to you?

As part of your family, you might care for someone who lives with disability, has an ongoing illness, is elderly.

But, we don’t always see ourselves as carers.

We’re just looking after someone close to us, like a child or parent, our partner, relative or friend.

It’s what we do.

We do it out of love for our family and friends.

What makes someone a carer?

There are more than 2.65 million unpaid carers in Australia. That’s 1 in 9 people.

Every caring situation is different and a carer:

• can be young or old
• might look after someone living with disability, a medical condition, mental illness, or someone who is frail due to age
• can care for anyone – a parent, spouse, partner, child, sibling, friend or neighbour, or any other loved one
• may help their loved one with shopping, housework, cooking, transport, or provide emotional support.

It’s OK to ask for help.

Looking after someone else can be challenging. It’s OK to ask for support.

Having support helps when you are caring for someone.

Unpaid carers often don’t ask for help because they:

• don’t think it’s acceptable to ask for support
• don’t think of themselves as a carer
• don’t think they need support or services
• don’t know about the in-language or culturally appropriate services that are available.

It’s never too early or too late to get support.

You can always make changes that will improve your health and wellbeing.

Carer Gateway can help you understand what support is available and right for you.

You can access Carer Gateway in person, online or over the phone.

Carer Gateway is a free Australia-wide service that provides a range of support and local services. 

This includes culturally sensitive and some in-language services to improve carer wellbeing, skills and knowledge.

Services and support through Carer Gateway

Some of the services that you can access are:

Tailored support packages

Support and services are tailored to your unique situation and needs. 

This might include support to continue your education or training, planned respite and transport.

Planned and emergency respite

Respite care looks after the person you care for so you can have a break. 

You could use respite to take time for other activities, or when you get sick or hurt.

Counselling

Our trained counsellors can talk you through your situation, listen and help you, in person or over the phone.

Connect with other carers

We can help you get in contact with other carers. 

You can share stories, knowledge, and experiences and support each other, either in person or online.

Call Carer Gateway on 1800 422 737.

Or, go to the website to find out what we can do for you.

If you speak a language other than English, you can use the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS). 

TIS is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, anywhere in Australia for the cost of a local call.

Meet Sonia

Sonia lives in a remote town in New South Wales with her four children. Sonia and her three older children provide fulltime care for her youngest son, Darcy. Sonia's husband drives long-haul trucks, so he is away often.

At two months old, Darcy was experiencing airway problems that impacted his ability to thrive. His condition required surgery, which unfortunately led to pneumonia, respiratory illness and more airway surgeries. 

As a result, Darcy faces challenges with his dexterity and fine motor skills. He also has limited vision and a language delay. 

Sonia, with the support of her children, help Darcy daily with eating, bathing and dressing. They also help Darcy attend therapy appointments and provide emotional and medical support. 

A few years after Darcy’s birth, Sonia was in a head-on car accident that’s left her needing two knee replacements and a hip replacement. She suffers from chronic pain and finds it hard to fit in visits to the pain specialist. 

A community of care for the family

Through Carer Gateway, Sonia connected with her care community. She makes time to regularly meet in Orange, NSW with other mums in similar situations for social visits and workshops together. 

“The people you meet and the community you create is one of the best things about being a carer,” shared Sonia. “The people I’ve gathered on this journey are friends for life and we have life-long connections.”

“The folks at Carer Gateway reach out to help regularly and, where they can help, they really give it 150%.”

Over the last few years, Sonia has watched the growth of Carer Gateway. 

Through Carer Gateway, two of her children were invited to go to camp with financial support during school holidays. And now, they’re recognised as Young Carers through Carer Gateway as they help Sonia manage Darcy’s daily care. The kids have a peer support member who helps them get tutoring support and provides financial help for school items, like laptops. 

They’ve also been accepted to the Young Carer Bursary Program, earning financial scholarships for their school tuition costs.

“Carer Gateway reached out and offered help from the beginning,” said Sonia. “I didn’t have time for myself. I was managing chronic pain, but I had to keep soldiering on and keep going. I have to be a mum. Carer Gateway services are helping us to get our balance back and make it easier for the whole family.”

Paying it forward

Sonia had to do a lot of self-advocating in the beginning.

Getting therapy for Darcy in their rural area was the biggest barrier in the first few years of Darcy’s life. Now, with Carer Gateway and her established support system, Sonia enjoys being able to help and support parents who are new to providing extra care.

“There was no pathway. I had to build the path myself as I walked it. It didn’t exist before.”

“I want to pay if forward to younger mums who may be having experiences like mine,” said Sonia. “It’s not easy, it’s hard work. They need to know that if a door gets shut, you have to just knock on the next one.”

“I became a carer out of necessity." 

Triston cares for his wife, Rachel, who has bipolar disorder, and for his daughter Caitlin, who has Attention Deficit Hyperactivity (ADHD) and autism. 

“I ended up becoming good friends with Rachel and the friendship evolved. She needed some help and support and I was there for her. Now, she is my wife,” says Triston. 

Triston never considered himself to be a carer. “The person I love needed help and I only did what I was meant to do” Triston explains. “It wasn’t until 5 or 6 years into us being a couple that I was introduced to Carers SA and I realised that I was a carer.”

Triston described how becoming a carer changed who he was and made him reflect on life. “You start to realise what is important and what is not,” he said. 

Becoming a carer has helped in many ways

When Triston had a cancer scare 14 months ago, his family and support network enabled him to get through. “If it wasn’t for the people I have met through my care situation, I wouldn’t have had the support in place to make sure I’m still here today.” 

Avoiding burnout

If there’s one piece of advice Triston could give to other carers, it would be to look after yourself. “There are too many of us burning out too quickly,” said Triston. 

Triston thinks of himself as incredibly lucky to have his wife and daughter who check in on him and make sure he doesn’t burn out. He also tries to make sure that each day he has a portion of time set aside for himself. 

“Sometimes I only have 5 minutes to sit down and have something to eat but, whatever it is, that small amount of time allows me to blow off steam,” said Triston. 

“There are times when the person you care for has a bad day and it can be draining to balance their needs with your own. Sometimes you don’t want to go out or you just don’t want to deal with something today. Looking after your own mental health helps you deal with those days.”

Always a carer

Triston is passionate about helping others and, in his spare time, he is involved with online community groups where he shares advice with other carers. 

“Even when I’m not actively caring for Rachel, I’m still a carer. The caring role doesn’t stop and my voluntary online caring role doesn’t stop either,” says Triston.

“I do it because I know the difficulties and pressures of being a carer. If I can help someone who is new to caring and help alleviate a bit of their stress, or give advice and make their caring role easier, then it’s well worth the time,” he said.

Getting support

Triston has been a carer for more than 10 years and describes how navigating the health and support systems over the years has been really tough. “You do everything you can to find support for the person you care for, but trying to find help can drive a carer to a point of breaking.” 

Triston found Carers SA – his local Carer Gateway service provider – to be a valuable source of support. He received a Carer Gateway tailored support package and has been able to access equipment that was desperately needed. 

Through Carer Gateway, Triston has accessed online counselling and personal coaching, which has allowed him to explore and move towards his own personal goals.