Care for Carers

When you are helping a loved one through the often dark journey that is depression, it can be easy to overlook or dismiss your own stress.

If you feel that you’re the lucky one and the focus shouldn’t be on you, think of it this way – if you let yourself get emotionally and physically tapped out, you can’t continue to be as good a support as you could be if you are supported yourself. The good news is, there are plenty of good services devoted to caring for carers all around Australia, with a host of research on why carers should also be supported.

Leonie Young, CEO of beyondblue, the National Government initiative for depression said "There are at least a million people across Australia who provide love and ongoing support around the clock for people who are unwell. The dedication of these carers, in partnership with health professionals, provides the foundation that people with depression can build on to recover and stay well. Being a carer can have an enormous impact on a person's relationships, work, education and social life, as well as their physical and mental health.

Paul Coates, Chief Executive Officer at Carers WA said “Caring can be a highly rewarding experience when appropriate support is available. However, without such support, the responsibility of caring can have an adverse effect on a carer’s physical, mental and emotional health as well as an impact on their short and long-term financial security. The demands of caring can make it harder to have a job, go to school or to simply take some time to relax. It is important to remember that whatever affects carers also affects their whole family”.

What’s available?

Depending on your needs, there are a host of different services out there, and often a combination works well. If you have a good relationship with your GP, it’s helpful to talk to them about what your caring role involves, and keep them up to date with what support you are receiving and ask for referrals if you are struggling to find an option that works well for you. This way they can help you to monitor your health and pick up any related health problems early.

ARAFMI

ARAFMI is a place where carers come together to learn, to share, to breathe a sigh of relief and to know that they are not alone, and ARAFMI is the only agency with a prime focus on provision of support for families, carers and friends with mental health issues.  ARAFMI WA alone supports over 2000 carers each year with counseling, self-help support groups, psycho-education, information and advocacy.

ARAFMI has a branch in each state and territory, and you can find your closest branch as well as a range of resource and information about activities and support available in your state or territory at www.arafmiaustralia.asn.au

General Counseling

The Australian Psychological Society (APS) can put you in touch with a counselor in your local area that can help you deal with your feelings and building your coping and self care skills. Contrary to popular belief, psychologists and counselors are not only helpful for people with mental illness, they are an excellent preventative health tool and can help people learn coping skills, work with you on building skills at dealing more effectively with stress and dealing with uncomfortable or conflicting feelings, which carers for people with depression can experience. Visit www.psychology.org.au or talk to your GP for a referral.

Respite

Respite care assistance can offer you time out if your caring role is demanding, and takes many forms - in-home respite care, provision of support workers to assist you when you are taking a break away from home and residential respite care. There are over 600 community-based respite services across Australia, and information about respite services in your local area can be obtained by phoning Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centre on free call 1800 052 222, or free call 1800 059 059 after hours.

Online resources

If these options seem a little overwhelming and you are looking for something more low key, there are a lot of great resources and support groups available online. Check out www.blueboard.anu.edu.au or www.beyondblue.com.au. 

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