A focus on caring relationships

Tagged with older people | TACSI

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In June, as part of Ageing project we posed the question: If you could improve outcomes for one group of older people who would it be: non-joiners, culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) older people, carers and cared for, or indigenous older people? We spoke to people in government, local services, at home and online. Most people said: every group. When we asked people to prioritise, carers and cared for repeatedly emerged.

Unpaid carers are the main source of help for people experiencing challenges with day-to-day living. 46% of people in need of help with day-to- day activities, like getting around and taking care of themselves, rely solely on family and friends to get by. 48% depend on a mix of family, friends, and formal services. Only 3% depend exclusively on formal services Unpaid carers are Australia’s largest aged care workforce. Without unpaid carers, demand on services would far outstrip supply.
But unpaid caring is not without its own costs. Carers are more likely to experience lower levels of wellbeing and increased levels of chronic disease than non-carers. One-third of all carers are severely stressed and depressed. Carer stress is a major determinant of cared for older people entering into more expensive, and often less effective, residential care.

This paper identifies the core questions that our project on carers and the people they care for will seek to answer, and highlights opportunities to shift policy, practice, and most importantly, people’s lives.

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