The Truth about Carers

You might think that carers are a small minority of Australians who cook their mother dinner twice a week and help do the shopping.

Firstly, carers represent about 12% of the population.  If you don't have a carer and are not a carer then you almost certainly know one!  According to Carers Australia, there are over 2.7 million unpaid carers in Australia.  And they provide 1.32 billion hours of unpaid care (in 2010) worth over $40 billion.

And, although they might cook and shop, they also provide high level personal care, medication, emotional support, lifting, toileting and a host of other care.

They also suffer significant health issues ranging from depression to numerous other problems.

According to a 2007 report on carers done by Deakin University:

• 56% would be classified as moderately depressed compared with only 6% of the general population
  
• 40% were estimated to fall in the 'severe to extremely severe' range of depression
  
• Of the 83 per cent of carers living with the person they were caring for, the level of wellbeing was the lowest ever measured for any group in 17 wellbeing surveys since 2001
  
• of the 2.7 million carers only 104,000 (in 2007) received Centrelink benefits.  Any carer who has tried to obtain benefits knows the reason why.

Additionally, carers are often living at or below the poverty line.  Unless they are working full time, they also have limited or no opportunity to invest in superannuation.  They are isolated - attending few, if any, friends, engagements, or relationships.

Check out some links below to read more:

Synapse - Depression in Carers Factsheet

High rates of depression in carers

Carers Australia

Carers Victoria