Caring for Carers: Support to Break the Burden
Informal carers, like family members or friends, often provide vital care to loved ones experiencing mental illness, disability or substance abuse. While the Australian government reportedly saves $77.9 billion per year thanks to their efforts, carers often pay a high personal price.
The Cost of Caring
Caring responsibilities can have a drastic impact on carers own quality of life and personal wellbeing. This can be driven by financial burden, lack of support and feeling overwhelmed from competing responsibilities. Carers face various obstacles, such as struggles navigating the system, finding the ‘right’ provider and difficulties engaging their loved ones in support. When their loved one is not managing their condition well, it can feel like a never-ending stress, that can lead to complex emotions such as helplessness, guilt and resentment. Sometimes, there’s even a risk of violence or feeling unsafe. It’s a really challenging situation. And if their loved one is seemingly improving, there’s often ongoing concern that they’ll have another crisis, leading to chronic hyper-vigilance. Stigma from others can increase sense of isolation, preventing them from identifying themselves as a carer and reducing the likelihood of accessing formal supports.
Burnout: A Real Risk
Often, the stress of caring can lead to burnout. Signs of burnout can include emotional exhaustion, detachment from the beneficial impact of their caring role, reduced sense of achievement, irritability, neglecting self-care and poorer physical health. Burnout can also over time impair the carers ability to provide care. This can exacerbate negative emotions, and put the carer at higher risk of mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety, due to the chronic stress they are often subject to. Therefore, it’s critical to implement strategies to aim to manage carer burden and prevent carer burnout.
Strategies for Sustainable Care
Some strategies that can help include:
Taking a ‘time out’ or use of respite care services.
Using a range of self-care strategies to manage personal wellbeing (e.g., eating well, engaging in a hobby).
Seek help: join a support group or training and access specialist support.
Set boundaries: it’s ok to say “no” and prioritise your own needs. Know your limits and what you can reasonably do.
Ask to participate in treatment and care decisions. Providers sometimes won’t initiate the invitation, but are wanting to work with carers.
Prepare for crises: create a safety plan and have emergency contacts ready.
Services Available for Support:
Carer Gateway 1800 422 737
Carers NSW Australia (02) 9280 4744
Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS NSW) 1800 250 015
LifeLine Australia 13 11 14
