There are close to 2.7 million carers in Australia. Carers come in all ages, genders, and walks of life. But the one thing all of them have in common is their commitment to someone in their life that requires support.
“So, a carer is not usually a role that someone applies for, but instead we'll often inherit, quite suddenly, during unpredictable and stressful circumstances.”
That is Patty Kikos, an experienced counsellor and social worker. A carer herself, Ms Kikos is also the host of the 'Carer Conversations' podcast, produced by the Benevolent Society and Carer Gateway, an Australian government-funded support network for carers.
While some people become carers suddenly, after a loved one suffers an accident or illness, others are born into the role. In other cases, becoming a carer is gradual.
“Carers are people who provide unpaid care and support to someone who needs help with their day-to-day living, who have a disability, mental health condition, a chronic condition, a terminal illness, an alcohol or drug issue, or who are frail because of their age. A carer is not a care worker or a support worker, who is getting paid to go to people's homes and offer support. We have young carers who learn about the caring role from the time they learn to walk and talk, and we have carers from an array of different nationalities."
