Carer and Social Support in Australia

Carer and Social Support



Aims and Objectives:
" To determine the level and characteristics of informal care provision in Australia, and its future trends.
" To appreciate the social and economic contributions which carers make to the community.
" To identify the benefits and burdens of being a carer
" To identify the needs of carers and families of patients with chronic illness
" To identify some of the available services for carers
" To identify some of the barriers to the utilization of these services and how then can be overcome.


Definition of a carer:
" People who provide care and support for a parent, partner, child, relative or friends who has a disability, is frail-aged or who has physical or mental illness.


The extent of informal care in Australia:
" There are 2.3 million carers in Australia, 600, 000 of which are primary carers (that is caring takes up the majority of their day).
" 5% of all households contain a ca...